Gregor and the War of Resistance
by FedoraFan
Summary: Luxa calls Gregor back to the Underland to save Regalia from being overrun. Before he can silently go back, a stalkerish teenage detective named Scott finds a way down too. Can Scott and Gregor's brain and brawn unite to stop the invasion? And if they can't, can they take it back before the Underland itself falls? Tears, blood, pain, and lots of surprises.
1. Invasion Happens

**Disclaimer: I don't own any part of the Underland Chronicles. I'm simply a faithful reader.**

Part 1~ _The Web Above our City_

Luxa's back was pressed against the stone. She crept sideways, ever so slowly towards where the street came by the alley. A spinner was dropping down from the web and into Regalia... again. Of course it had six cutters on its back. The invasion was getting sooo much worse.

It was the people like her that were keeping the city alive. The defense people... who actually cared. She was mad at people like Howard. The doctors didn't need his help. The soldiers did however. When she brought up that argument, he said he needed medical training. Like he hasn't trained enough in the year since Gregor went back to the Overland.

Gregor.

Six letters. Six letters that brought her pain every time she heard or even thought about him. She had denied herself of love for a year, for a boy that wasn't coming back. It was painful and despite Mason, a boy who was trying to win her heart, and other boys with the same goal, their efforts just made her heart break even more. But she was a warrior now. Not a hopeless girl. At least that's what she told herself.

She thought about how it the war all started two months earlier...

The spinner queen "mysteriously" disappeared and her daughter took place as queen. Her first act was to build a web above Regalia. The Regalians weren't used to air attacks, after centuries of fighting gnawers.

The humans won some battles. But the spinners won many. And it took the cutters to say they wanted in, to make more species consider joining "the movement".

Most creatures weren't interested in joining the spinners because of the mistakes made with the gnawers. Creatures joined the gnawers, and lost miserably. It killed their people, depleted the supplies they had, and it wasn't worth it. But this was different, and human spies reported all the kingdoms were in consideration.

Luxa snapped out of her daydream as the spinner jumped on her.

The mandibles were coming down and Luxa saw no way out.

Suddenly, an arrow flew through the spinners back. Vikus stood above her, bow in hand. He had made a miraculous recovery, or as Howard said, but Luxa had seen his left side go slack.

"Let us flee!"yelled Vikus.

Twenty cutters surrounded them and they immediately went to work. Luxa watched her sword cutting them open. She had however seen Gregor fight and he was more fluent with where to strike.

Suddenly, a large cutter charged at Luxa. She found her sword had been forced out of her hands. Vikus was about to fire when a man came flying down from a roof, slashing open a spinner on the way down. He had two swords, and used the first to kill the cutter, and second to attack a spinner coming up behind Luxa.

Nathan.

"Move! Move! Move!" shouted Nathan.

Nathan was a rager from the Fount who was visiting Regalia when the first spinner attack happened. He'd been the last human fighting, until he jumped on the platform and was carried to the palace.

Nathan continued running, but would periodically stop to turn a cutter or spinner into ribbons. It was horrible, bloody, and as Nathan put it, wonderful fun.

They were just passing a street coming from the arena when a dozen hissers burst through the doors.

"Please tell me they're on our side," Nathan moaned.

"They aren't," Luxa gasped, "we never made a treaty with Lord Fang-Fang".

The hissers began smashing down buildings, they're tails moved in a dance-like fashion.

Nathans eye's glittered and he pulled out his two swords.

"You guys can go on, I'll catch up," Nathan grinned. And so laughing like a maniac he charged fifty hissers.

They ran back to the palace to deliver news of were the hissers stood. A large gray rat ran up beside them. Two scars formed an X on his hard face.

"Ripred," Luxa muttered.

"Oh, is that anyway to treat your _bond_," Ripred sneered.

They ran on.

They ran until they got to the palace and as they arrived, the most awful thing happened.

Spinners dropped into the High Hall.

Luxa screamed, "NO!" at the top of her lungs.

Hazard was inside.


	2. Just a Few of Many Surprises

**Disclaimer: I Don't own anything!**

Hazard sat, happily poking the fire with the poker. He was eight and currently knew twenty-six different languages. He was perfectly content, despite Regalia's condition. And of course Luxa was out there probably killing or getting killed.

He saw the picture book from his last birthday.

He started thinking about Gregor, Boots, and Lizzie, and all the great things they'd done together. But for each good memory, a bad one followed. Traveling the jungle, led to losing his father and Frill. Flying to the Fount, led to the fact it wasn't even a picnic and of course, seeing the mark, and finally cracking a code led to The War of Time.

So, he tried to focus on happier moments with them. It did work, at least for a moment.

He was wondering if Lizzie still enjoyed puzzles when he heard clicking.

_"How am I supposed to now which one is Queen Luxa's chambers?" _a voice hissed.

_"You have the map!" _another voice screeched.

_ "How do we know if our spy is even reliable! The map makes no sense!"_

_ "Your holding it upside down!" _a third one scolded angrily.

_ "Oh, so we're outside the door! Ready to spring the trap?"_

_ "Ready as I'll ever- wait! I smell Halflander!"_

Hazard realized they were speaking cutter.

Three cutters burst through the door ready to kill him. Their faces were expressionless. They looked like the reason they were born was specifically for smashing down that door.

Hazard grabbed the poker( as it was closest thing to him) and then the weirdest thing happened.

Hazard's vision split into segments. He saw strange areas on the cutters which his brain knew to be... attack spots! Blood splashed on his face. And in three seconds, all the cutters lay dead.

He looked at the poker. It was covered in cutter blood.

Hazard dropped the poker. He was- how did Gregor say it? Freaked out? Yes, he was freaked out. He heard a series of voices coming down the hall. He grabbed the poker again. In case something tried to attack.

His breathing was off. He was shaking like he had the plague. He was beyond scared. He wanted to cry, puke, and laugh out of nervousness, all at the same time.

Two hissers pushed their heads in the room.

Hazard got an idea.

_"Why attack me?" _Hazard hissed.

_"You speak- Hisser?" _one of the hissers said, surprised.

_" Of course. I am the spy posted in Regalia," _Hazard lied.

_" That would make sense," _the second hisser reasoned.

_" Luxa is down the hall," _Hazard lied again.

_" Splendid," _the hissers cheered.

_" I'll be right behind you," _Hazard said following them.

Hazard followed them down the hall, then he stabbed one with the poker. It hissed and turned around. It opened it's mouth, ready to kill him, Hazard waved the poker, but the phenomenon didn't happen again. The other hisser came over to kill him, too. Hazard screamed. The first hisser pinned him down and the second opened it's mouth to rip his heart out.

"YAAAAAAAH!" came a shout from down the hall. He saw Howard jump on the first hisser's back. He stabbed it with a sword, then he jumped and got the second in the mouth. Hazard shook. The hissers looked remarkably like Frill.

"Where's Luxa?" Hazard sobbed.

"She's trying to get in the palace as we speak." Howard said gently.

"How did _they_ get in?"

"The spinners have started carrying cutters and hissers into the palace," Howard said sadly. Despite everything he had that natural twinkle in his eye. It reminded Hazard of his father. Now he really wanted to cry.

"Look out!" Hazard yelled. A spinner was hanging over Howard, ready to bite. Then Hazard did the thing that made most sense. He pushed Howard away and stabbed the spinner in the head.

"Now this poker has three types of blood on it," Hazard groaned wanting to puke even more.

Howard ran into Hazard and Luxa's room.

"You did this," Howard gasped.

"Yeah," Hazard said.

"How did-" Howard was cut off by a cheer of joy.

"Hazard!"

Luxa came racing toward him, followed by Vikus.

Ripred hit something with his tail, came around the corner and said, "O.K. That should be the last of them. I hope. But on a more cheery note, you two are O.K. Oh, my boy, Hazard you have no idea how long it took me to hold our mighty ruler down."

Luxa glared at him.

Ripred decided it was probably best to shut up.

Taro, a spy for Regalia came running down the hall. " Queen Luxa," he gasped for breath while bowing "the twisters and buzzers have confirmed alliance with the spinners. Do you wish attack on the buzzer hive?"

Luxa considered it. "No don't, we have enough problems right now."

"As you wish," Taro said. He ran off.

Nathan came in. Before he could speak, Luxa cut him off.

"Nathan. Go get Gregor."

"How am I supposed-"

"Go get your flier, Iris, and get Gregor. I don't care how long it takes. Or even how you do it. Just do it. Now. Just do it, O.K.?"

"O.K. I honestly hope I'm not killed by spinners. Because you know it could happen. I could be a dead man in five minutes. You know my blood could be pumping into the Water Way while spinners laugh at my stupidity and-"

"Nathan! I realize your scared. Now be quiet. Go, now! Yes, you could die, but you won't. That's why I chose you. GO!"

"I'm touched, see you tomorrow."

Nathan strolled off.

And despite everyone around him, Hazard was left alone, in a dark, lonely, despicable, pain-filled world.

He needed to talk to Gregor.


	3. The Amazing Overland

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OC's. Have a nice life.**

Nathan was beginning to feel Luxa thought he was an idiot.

She _knew_ the spinners could attack Iris in mid-air. She _knew _Nathan would die without Iris. He would fall down and hit the ground. Or the water. It largely depended on what he was flying over. And yet, she expected him to run along like a good little mindless soldier. He wasn't a cutter. Luxa wasn't a cutter. And he had a mind of his own.

Nathan walked into the heavily guarded Flier Protection Unit. It was an entire corridor, reserved for the bats. Because well, in the current war, fliers were in danger. It was mainly dark, but a few torches were set out for the guards.

"Iris, let's go," he waved.

"What is happening?" Iris asked.

"I must go to the Overland," Nathan replied as calmly as he could get out, without sounding frustrated.

"But we'll never make it there," Iris questioned, "We'll be dead thrice before we get _near_ a passage way."

"Which is what I said to Queen Luxa! But her heart won't listen to reason. But, I will move to the Jungle before I ever disobey a queen."

They turned a corner into the High Hall. It was littered with webs and dead bodies. He saw a hisser who head a sword still buried in it's heart. He took it out, wiped it clean, and put it on his belt. He'd been wondering where it was.

A dead spinner that was still hanging from a web seemed to be staring at Nathan. He cut the web, and it fell to the floor.

"That _was_ fairly creepy," Iris shuddered.

He mounted Iris slowly. Every breath felt like it took a life time to get out. It isn't every day you go to the Overland.

Mareth walked over to him, ready to go through the routine, that Nathan heard was required for all people going out.

"It is safe to depart. But be careful. Fly low. Keep an eye out for spinners, cutters, hissers, buzzers, or twisters. Do not sleep. Be ready to draw your swords at any sign of attack. Here we have a smaller scale map of the Underland. Each of the five entrances are circled in green. Take it and do not lose it. Avoid the Deadland at all costs. Don't fly near the surface of the Waterway, as the snappers and chompers have recently announced alliance with the spinners. Keep a quick pace. Don't kill if you can help it, as bodies are evidence, and try not to be seen."

"Right," said Nathan, feeling rather pathetic about his answer compared to what Mareth had told him.

Iris spread her wings and soared out of the High Hall.

"Iris! Fly to," Nathan said looking at the map. Mareth had written notes on the best passages to take to find Gregor. "This one! It leads straight to the building Gregor lives in. Iris glanced at the map and changed her course to find it. They flew through tunnels at top speed until they encountered a spinner. Iris tried to dodge it, but it jumped towards them. Nathan stuck his sword out and the spinner was now in two. They didn't run into any more problems until they got there. The entrance was nailed shut.

"Arrrrrg!" he yelled pounding on the… wood? It was real wood. Real wood was the rarest thing possible. At least in the Underland. He thought about how much people would pay for real wood. He began thinking about his own reasons for that, recovered, and flew off.

"Iris! Try this one," he said showing the entrance to her, "it leads to some kind of arena or something."

Iris flew over the Waterway. They arrived at a cone looking area. They rocketed through and soared over stairs. The walls changed as they flew by. From stone to a strange rectangular layout.

Iris stopped and Nathan climbed off. He looked back at Iris. They're eyes met. He looked at her golden eyes, surrounded by golden fur. He remembered back when he was twelve. The two of them had known they were meant they were to be bonds. Something had simply felt right. They had started thinking the same way, and finishing each others sentences before they were even bonded. Vikus said that was fifty times faster than most bonds. She looked at him and he knew she'd be fine here. If anything tried to attack her she'd be fine.

He pushed on the stone. It wouldn't budge. He pushed on it more. Nothing. He put all his weight into his upper body strength and shoved with all of his 16-year-old might. The stone seemed to laugh at him. Nathan grew very agitated. He pulled out his sword and shoved it through a crack. A loud screech followed. He yanked it back down. It had blood smeared on it the tip of it.

"What was that?" Nathan wondered, "Hmm, it doesn't matter."

He shoved his sword up again. He moved around the perimeter of the tablet, and then he brought it back down.

He shoved the tablet again and this time it moved. He laughed with the feel of victory. He pushed up and stepped out of the hole. The world was white.

Nathan moved the rock back into place and looked around. He took a step forward and heard a loud crunch underneath him. He moved his foot and looked down. A smaller version of a nibbler was at his feet. Except it was brown and had a huge bushy tail. He frowned. It had a huge cut in it. It was probably the thing he had stabbed. Suddenly, a breeze came by and Nathan shook. It was cold alright. Then it him. He was surrounded by snow.

"This must be New Cork City!" Nathan gasped.

He opened the pack that was prepared for him. Inside was: warm clothes, a dagger, sunglasses, and about two-hundred dollars in Overland currency.

He hid behind what he realized was a tree and put the warm clothes on. It was nothing much. A sweater, a coat, a pair of long pants, socks, shoes, and a strange hat that wrapped around his head. All the clothes were Overlander material, so he would blend in fine.

He walked past little Overlander children. They were speeding down hills of snow on strange plastic discs. He walked up to the parents and asked, "Hello, I was wondering if any of you kind folk knew where I could get something to eat?"

One of the men took a small smoking capsule out of his mouth and said, "Uh, yeah, Jimmie's Pizza, you can take a cab there or you can walk, your choice."

It took Nathan a while, but he figured out what a cab was and how to use it. He put on the sunglasses first, fearing the driver would be frightened because of his violet eyes.

Nathan gave the driver the address. He watched New Cork or New _York_ as he now realized it was called fly by from the window. York. Like the governor of The Fount. Funny how things like that worked out. He arrived and gave the driver the money. He walked into the restaurant and sat down. A person came by.

"Hello, I'm Tasha I'll be your waitress tonight," she said in an annoying accent, "Would you like a drink?"

"Ahem, yes I'd like a," he looked around for a name, "a coke."

"Alright and here's a menu."

Nathan tried to find something on the menu he could buy, and he ended up picking a pizza with pepperoni and sausage on it.

The waitress came by with his pizza. "_Pizza. What a peculiar word." _Nathan thought.

He reluctantly picked up a slice of pizza and bit into it. An explosion of flavor claimed his mouth.

He finished the pizza and left money on the table. He decided to leave a few dollars extra, as he'd seen the others do.

Next, he tried to find Gregor. He walked around, aimlessly.

He ended up asking people. Finally, a boy told him he knew Gregor's family.

"They're nice people, but Gregor? He's been having troubles in the past two years. He's gotten the flu so many times. His grandma died a few months ago, too. Are you friends with them?" the boy asked.

"Yes," Nathan lied.

"Oh, that's cool. I'm Larry." the boy greeted kindly, "Bye!" he said as he walked away.

Larry had also mentioned the apartment building they lived in. He even had gone so far as to mention the address.

Nathan took a cab there and walked in. Inside was a large room that had a door to a stairwell. He climbed the stairs until he found the first row of apartments.

He knocked on every door. None had Gregor's family in there. Second floor was the same. He got really close on floor three, but the boys name was actually _Gregory._

By the time he was done with the third floor, he was drained from disappointment, and all the stairs. He headed toward the stairwell when the last man he'd asked said, "Why don't you use the elevator?"

Nathan turned around, "Excuse me?"

"Right there," he pointed.

Nathan walked toward two gray panels. He pressed an arrow on the side that was pointing up.

He waited maybe half-a-minute before the panels slid apart. He stepped inside. An old lady, with glasses and pale hands stood next to him. She looked like she'd suffered one too many cold winters. She looked through her bags. Then she froze and slowly, knowingly, looked at him.

"Hello, are you from out of town?" she asked.

"What? Oh, uh, yes. I am not from New Cork- or New York."

She stared at him, "You know you can take your shades off."

Nathan nodded and did. He felt comfortable around this lady.

She kept staring, then let out a deep sigh, "Sooo," she said cooly, "where's your bat?"

"Oh, Iris is at the passa-" Nathan realized his mistake, "um, uh, wh-what bat?"

"Don't worry. I know why you're here. Gregor asked me to spot you people out."

The panels opened but on a different floor.

"This floor." the old lady said, "Gregor's next door to me."

Nathan was so consumed by relief and luck, he forgot to step out of the elevator.

He ran out as the panels shut. And he realized the lady had gone in before he saw where she lived.

So, he knocked on all the doors. Not one had Gregor inside.

He dropped to his knees. "Will I Ever Find Him!" he screamed. He knew he was acting like a fool. A sixteen-year-old _boy_ on the verge of tears.

Then he looked at the other side of the hall. Another row of doors stretched across like a twister does when the prey is farther than it would like.

He straightened his coat and began knocking.

At last his journey finally reached the part where he would get close to the end, then something impossibly bad happens that results in mission failure.

He asked "Does Gregor the Overlander live here?"

The boy who answered gave him a look like, "How did you find me?"

Then he said, "I need a glass of water." and slammed the door.

Nathan looked at the old brown door.

"Is that a yes?"

**My greatest apologies to all of that like short chapters. It was about twice as long as my last two. To clear a thing or two up: Yes, Nathan stabbed a squirrel. Yes, he is wearing a beanie cap. Yes, the kids were sledding. And yes, the man was smoking a cigarette. I explained it the way I did because I wanted you to feel as hopeless as Nathan. Thank you. Have a great day.**


	4. And Now No One Likes Owls

**Disclaimer:Wow, do I really have to do one of these on every chapter? I guess I'd rather right a few words than get sued. I own nothing but my few OC's.**

York sighed. Being caught between a rock and hard place was not his favorite thing. And The Fount was probably in the worst position imaginable.

Escape by air was impossible. The spinners and glarers would have them in seconds. Not that the spinners were a problem, but since the glarers were allied with the spinners, the fliers would be torn out of the sky in no time at all.

Sea would be their second option in most cases. But the biters were neutral. They couldn't expect help from them. With the lack of help from the biters, the snappers and chompers could easily overtake them.

Land was a stupid escape route. Too many things could attack them at once. They could fight their enemies off while going to a human city, but they would lose more lives than necessary.

Vikus, York's good friend, always said, "When a plan goes wrong, one is left with two options: Fight or flee." And fleeing was _not _an option.

With the fate of The Fount in York's hands (as The Fount's fate was either a new cutter kingdom, smoking piece of land, or a more glorious city than it was ever before), he decided to take the only other option available.

And so, two weeks ago, he had sent for his best engineers and weapon experts.

When the select ten people were in front of him, he stood and said, "I need stronger armor and weapons. Come up with something better than what we currently have. Any supplies required is at your disposal. Now go."

Most of the ten had left. But one had stayed behind. Sanalia. She was one of the only female engineers in all of The Fount and Regalia. She had walked to the table in his room, spread out some plans, and began.

"I've been working on this for actually several years. It is a weapon that existed in the Overland but we couldn't recreate it here until today. It's called: a ballista."

"Is this the complete version?" York asked, already interested. He was bent over the plans, grinning like a fool.

"Yes, sir. It fires heavy arrows onto our enemy. It can go through nine snappers at once," Sanalia said excitedly.

"This is genius!" York cheered. He felt like dancing. It was all too perfect.

"Yes, but sir, only so many can be made," Sanalia warned.

York's smiled disappeared. "How many?"

"Seven, sir. But we can make plenty of arrows."

"Perfect. We'll put three on the shore, two on the land borders, and two on the higher buildings. How long will this take?"

"Two weeks."

"That's fine. Start as soon as possible."

Sanalia walked out.

York remembered sitting back. He'd smiled. Now, if The Fount _was_ attacked, they'd do fine. It was a bit too bad Nathan was in Regalia, but considering the new weapons that would be made, they needed him more than York did.

Still, they needed every rager they could get.

There were two ragers in The Fount right now. Two _was_ a good number. He probably needed Nathan, as the boy was one of the greatest human ragers ever, but he could get by just fine.

York opened his eyes, ending his flashback from two weeks ago.

And the past two weeks had come by fast.

Atticus, a weapon expert and inventor, walked in. He was ready to present a new armor.

Now, York's new weapon team had already brought him several new weapons.

The shard cannon, acid net, jaw bone boomerang, flier bombs, the octotrant, and of course, the ballista. All great weapons.

Each one had been tested and was operational. More weapons were on the way, but _someone_ had yet to invent a new armor.

Atticus gulped. He put down a bundle he was carrying and pulled out several items. Atticus had tried to impress York before and had failed.

He picked up a large piece of leather and spoke, "This is my latest project. I've been taking pieces of leather and sewing stone into the middle. It's meant to go under the armor, giving us a major protection boost."

He reached over for a shield and began to speak, "This shield is five-feet long and designed to protect most of the body. It has holes in it to allow sight while the shield's is in front of you. I call it a sight shield."

"Perfect. Let's test it."

They walked to the weapon testing arena. The Fount looked as busy as usual, but York sadly noticed every man, woman, and child looked tense. He saw a six-year old placing a dagger on his belt as he stepped out of his home. A ballista was rolling across the street. It had the Roman numeral VI on it. Six meaning it was to be put on the roof of Athena Tower. It was a large, flat-roof tower made in honor to the flier queen. The men began pushing the ballista up a ramp, to try to get it on the roof.

One of the boys, who was about seventeen, and carrying arrows, saluted to York. York saluted back, and Atticus tried to salute while carrying his bundle.

When they arrived Stellovet was there, in full armor, with a scowl on her face.

York paused, then sighed.

"Atticus, go inside the arena."

"Yes, sir."

"Stellovet, I'm not talking to you about this again,"York yelled.

"Yes, we are. Get Nathan back into The Fount."

"Listen, sweetie," York began in an annoyed, yet uninterested tone, "I'm not remotely interested in your love-life. If you want to talk about it, go to your mother. Besides, Nathan ignores you anyway."

"Running from me isn't ignoring me, is it?," Stellovet argued as she followed York into the arena, "besides, mother's too busy. So what if she's conducting and planning battle and escape strategies. I'm in an emotional crisis! She says, 'I'm holding the future of our city on my shoulders,' like it 'matters' or something!"

York paused and rubbed his forehead, "Now I see how you got kicked out of your war classes."

"I _left_ those war classes!"

"Because they told you you were going to be kicked out," York shouted, "I have to test a new armor. So please, leave me."

"Fine then! I'll find Nathan myself!"

"That's wonderful!" York yelled over his shoulder, knowing she was bluffing.

"I wish Howard were here," Stellovet whined, "he'd convince you to bring Nathan back to The Fount."

York turned around, "Now there's one reason I'm happy Howard isn't home."

After watching his fuming daughter walk out of the arena, York inhaled and exhaled deeply several times, and walked to where Atticus was standing. As he walked, he watched fondly as the new weapons were tested.

A shard cannon in the corner was being loaded with special shard packs. The men training with them cranked the cannon until it went off, exploding shards all over dummies. The shards were mainly pieces of glass, a few chunks of crystal, and broken swords.

Acid nets were really more of a trap. Large ropes were dipped in a special liquid and were set in pressure sensitive traps that entangled their victims. The liquid burned flesh, and the live cattle in the training traps were thrashing in pain. They also had made portable versions, that you could drop in the heart of battle. It would trap the victim, burning their skin.

Jaw bone boomerangs were large toothy jaw bones that were cut in a certain way so the teeth would stick out. It had a special handle that the user could grab. The handle was specially hardened in case the handle hit the target, the target would still be injured, giving you time to grab the boomerang and finish off your opponent. The boomerang was probably best used when you were surrounded. The soldiers who were training with the boomerangs saluted to York.

Flier bombs were large packages of rocks, daggers, glass shards, and torches. The things inside were scraps, really. These would drop onto enemies from fliers' claws. It is the ultimate way to break down an army before the battle began. Fliers flew over the dummies they were using the bombs on and the dummies were blown back by the force of the bombs. No one was sure about the flier bombs though, because the fliers weren't being used in this war.

Octotrants were an exciting new weapon. They were sort of like a trident, but double-sided with four spikes on each side. You can fight two enemies at once on your right _and_ left sides. A soldier was sparring two other soldiers with his octotrant. He laughed like a maniac as his sheathed octotrant knocked over the other soldiers. York had already put one on his belt. It was right next to his six-foot sword. He was one of the most feared humans in the Underland.

He watched as the last ballista was being rolled out of the arena. It was still maybe a hundred feet from the exit. It had the roman numeral VII imprinted on the side. It was going on the Ares Building. Susanna had been so saddened by Ares' death and Gregor's pain, she personally ordered construction of a building in Ares' honor.

York arrived where Atticus was preparing the test. Atticus had just finished placing the armor over the stone leather, when York pulled out his octotrant and smacked it. The dummy wobbled, but held together. He stabbed the dummy in the chest. The octotrant hit something. He yanked the octotrant out and gestured to four deep holes in the armor.

"I believe you failed."

Atticus smugly pulled off the metal plates.

The stone leather was dented.

"With all do respect, sir, I believe not."

Cheering erupted around them.

Atticus began discussing with the other soldiers about the stone leather.

A seventeen-year old walked up to York.

"That looks pretty interesting," the boy said, pointing at the stone leather.

"It does," York replied, "and by the way, any word from your brother?"

The boy sighed sadly, "unfortunately no. He could be in the Overland for all we know."

"Hang in there Ethan."

"I am, it's just, It'd kill me if anything bad happened to him."

"Ethan," York said reassuringly, "your brother is one of the toughest I've ever seen."

"Yes, your right, Nathan is probably fine," said Ethan, standing up straight.

"The only thing that could possibly scare Nathan is Stellovet," York joked.

Ethan chuckled.

"Keep your head up, Ethan."

"Could I get promoted if I do?" Ethan asked.

"Now that's just wishful thinking," York joked.

"I know. Actually, wishful thinking smells pretty good."

"Right, your a scentseer. How is it your brother is a rager?"

"It's a good gene pool?" Ethan guessed, quoting a scientist who had once fallen from the Overland. His name had been Mike Jones, and he'd been extremely obsessed with ragers and scentseers. Ethan and Nathan and their ability's had puzzled him so much he'd finally given up and decided they must have just had a good gene pool. Another obsession of Mike's was to get back home. He had almost accomplished it, but he disappeared flying over the Waterway.

"Everyone!" Atticus yelled, "the sight shields!"

After a brief explanation of how to use them, the men began to spar. York and Ethan paired together, as Atticus walked around correcting the movements of some soldiers.

"What do you think?" Ethan said holding it in front of himself. He peered through the holes just as York brought his six-foot sword on Ethan's shield. Ethan jumped back, and while Ethan kept the shield in front of him he pulled out his sword and fought York. York held out his own shield to counter Ethan's attack. The two dueled back and forth. York knew a thing or two about scentseers. They could smell where you were going to strike. So York targeted spots, but changed his mind at the last second. The battle ended out where York kicked Ethan's shield, knocking him over, and sending the shield flying. York slashed down his sword three inches from his neck. Ethan pushed the sword away, got up, and saluted to York. The other men did the same, and York saluted back.

"I think it works."

"So, I passed?" Atticus asked hopefully.

"I'm tempted to say no, just for effect, but," York sighed, "Yes, you did."

Atticus literally fainted from relief, lying on the gravelly floor of the arena. He boxed the air, yelling with joy. He'd succeeded.

Everyone clapped.

York yelled out, "Atticus has created master armor! Let him be remembered as a genius inventor! We will win because of him!"

Cheers erupted around the arena, but everything was put on hold, for glarers rained from the dark. Their talons opened up and York was snatched into the air. He cut the glarers foot and it dropped York. A glarer landed on the ground screaming "hoot hoot". Its wide eyes glared over all of them. The men who were rolling the ballista out stopped, and turned around. It's wide eyes widened. It's eyes looked impossibly large. It fell over as a ballista arrow flew into it's face. Warriors grabbed sight shields, jawbone boomerangs, octotrants, swords, and everything else they could get their hands on. Fliers dropped flier bombs on the glarers. Feathers erupted into flames. Beaks were picking up soldiers, and tearing them apart. Atticus was grabbed by a glarer and whisked away. York's soldiers began to push harder. Using the weapons invented for this moment fountians poured out of buildings, farms, and other places. They fought bravely. So bravely they used their fliers. It looked like The Fount's finest hour by far. Things had never looked greater in that arena.

Atticus was in the air yelling. He'd been grabbed by a glarer. York watched as he pulled out two stones. A blade was connected between the two. He held one stone in each hand and began working on the glarer's foot. He moved his arms side to side. The glarer screeched and tried to hold on. Finally with one great whack, the foot came straight off. The glarer flew off, and Atticus put the stone blade in his pocket. He fell to the ground. In mid-air he squeezed through the toes of the glarer. He twisted in the air, in an intricate spin even Luxa would've been jealous of. And that's saying a lot. Atticus landed on his feet and breathed in deep. He grabbed a sword from a fallen warriors hand and charged a full grown glarer. He yelled a war cry. The glarer screeched in reply.

York had never seen, in all his years, someone fight like Atticus. He fought with almost a kind of _joy_. It was the strangest thing York had ever seen.

Atticus was an inventor. Not a warrior. York had known Atticus as a child. Atticus belonged to a poor family that never could afford to do anything, at all. He'd never looked like he'd gotten enough confidence or support to do anything, not even go train for war. Atticus always went to a little hut where he would create toys. When they were thirteen he made gadgets. And when he was sixteen he made weapons. Your average inventor. Definitely _not _a warrior. They'd been good friends, and talked a lot, until York become governor. They had talked less and less. Then Howard had been born, and York became to busy to see Atticus.

Atticus' flier, Metis, flew over and he jumped on. Atticus cut throats right and left. And strangely, all the glarers targeted him. Like they wanted him for something. They attacked _him_. Then York began to realize, that whenever The Fount had been invaded in the past, Atticus was always targeted. It suddenly hit York. They wanted Atticus because they wanted to force him to make weapons for them. Like Gregor's father. York realized the other inventors and engineers were all over The Fount. Were they being captured, as well? Could they defend themselves as well as Atticus could?

York ordered twelve men to find the other nine people from his weapon team. Twenty-five men still stood in the arena, fighting the glarers off. They would be fine without him.

York ran out of the arena. He knew the shore line probably needed help. He ran there, and saw disaster. Snappers were all over the beach. They'd knocked over a ballista. The men there were being slaughtered. The armored backs of the snappers prevented harm. They had many legs that they used to knock over men, but they're greatest advantage was the pincers. Two big red claws on the snapper. They were crushing the spines of the men. York could see chompers in the middle of the water. Large fish like creatures but with sharp teeth. They liked to attack in packs and rip any piece of meat to shreds. A snapper chased a man into the water, and he screamed as chompers ate him. Soon he was a skeleton with torn armor floating just above the water.

York charged. He pulled out his octotrant and began stabbing the snappers in the underbelly. Other soldiers followed his lead and pulled out their own octotrants, and attacked the underbelly. Fliers flew over the water and dropped flier bombs. Chompers rose to the surface of the water, dead. Soon the men had repositioned the knocked over ballista and were defending their shore.

The only part of The Fount that York needed to help now was the inner city.

When he got there he what he saw made the problem at the shore look like a cutter invasion in the Overland. Irritating but harmless.

Spinners were grabbing men and carrying them up into webs, while cutters charged into things. Snappers sat ripping apart homes, and glarers swooped down onto men. Hissers and twisters were running and slithering a muck. Buzzers flew through the air, stinging people on the backs.

Suddenly, a battle cry filled the air. Stingers came into the city. Gnawers were in their ranks.

"Oh no, not _them_ too!" York yelled with frustration.

But instead of the stingers and gnawers attacked the enemy. Nibblers and crawlers poured into the city as well. This gave the humans and fliers hope, and they fought back harder. A bat flew over York and yelled, "Biters are helping on the shore!"

York began running there. His bond, Nemesis, flew over.

"Need a ride?"

York jumped on.

They flew to the shore. Biters were ripping apart snappers and chompers with their sharp teeth. The shells on their backs prevented much harm.

"Thank, goodness it's about time! The biters are on our side," Nemesis cheered, watching two snappers charge a biter. The biter pulled it's head and legs into it's shell, and instead the snappers rammed into the shell.

"Let's fly to the arena," York suggested.

When they got there, it was quiet. Warriors stood waiting for another attack. Bodies littered the ground, and Atticus was pulling talons out of glarers and fashioning them into weapons. The men working the ballista stood tensely, turning slowly, ready to crank the handle and fire.

York jumped off Nemesis, and landed on his feet.

"No attacks?"

"Not one. After we killed the glarers, they stopped coming. It's an eerie silence. We've been on edge for twenty minutes. We hear noises outside, but we're afraid to go out. We feel they're outside, ready to kill us. We sent a few fliers over to check, and they reported nothing. But apparently paranoia has gotten to us. We're afraid to leave and afraid to stay. Maybe they are afraid because we killed them so fast. Who knows? "

"How's Atticus?"

"Busy as ever. He's coming up with more weapons. Talon throwers, poison feathers, scream balls, beak helmets, and foot husks. It's almost insane what he can come up with."

York walked over to Atticus, "So, more weapons, eh? When do you want to test them?"

Atticus beamed, "The moment their done! If that's fine with you."

"Absolutely."

A soldier walked over, "Sir, we have some people in need of medical attention, they're coming in. We need the glarer carcasses cleared away."

After York and six men had pushed the glarer bodies into the corner, wounded came in.

Plenty of nibblers and gnawers came in, and doctors went right to work. Stitching up wounds, putting on splints, and pulling out debris stuck in bodies. A few stingers and biters needed help, and there were endless amounts of humans. Most crawlers only came into the arena if they'd lost to many limbs to fight. Fliers with torn wings hopped around to find someone to help.

Then York saw someone come in.

His heart stopped.

Her hair was matted in blood. Her face was torn horribly, her armor ripped off and contents of flier bombs were stuck in her arms.

Her leg was tilted at an awkward angle, and she seemed to be unconscious. Which was probably better because she couldn't feel what had happened to her.

He ran to the doctor, "Will she survive?" he asked desperately.

"She was in a building when a hisser ran into it. She managed to drag herself out of the rubble, but then a flier bomb was dropped on a twister next to her. The debris rained on top of her. Be glad we found her when we did, any longer without medical attention and we don't know what would've happened. She should be fine, but it will take awhile for her."

York nodded, holding back tears. He wouldn't be able to bear it if he lost her.

No, he _couldn't_ lose her. He couldn't. He'd never be able to be happy again if he did.

Because the figure in front of him was... Susanna.

**Forgive me for having it been so long since my last update. It took a lot to write this one, and I've been really busy lately. My grandpa died recently. So, that's been really tough. I'll try to get some more chapters in faster. Again, forgive me. Thank you TeamLuxa175 and John Earl for the great reviews! It really means a lot. And thank you to my other readers. I have the anonymous reviews enabled, so if you don't have an account you can still review! Until next time, this is FedoraFan thanking you once again for reading.**


	5. The Return

**Hey guys, gals, and aliens of the planet Neptune! Why Neptune, I don't know but I'll see you at the next planet reunion. It's great to somewhat "see" you I guess. In this chapter you will re-meet good old Gregor. After going through nine months of therapy you can expect a changed boy, but it's Gregor all the same. Good luck, have fun, and I own nothing but my few OC's.**

Gregor slammed the door on the underlander. He heard a muffled shout. He didn't open the door again, afraid the guy would fight his way in. He bolted the door shut and ran to his room. He grabbed his emergency bag, slipped it on and ran for the fire-escape. The phone rang. He turned around and answered it.

"Hi, dear. It's Mrs. Cormaci. There's a code two in our hall."

"Yeah, I know! He's trying to get in! I'm gonna try getting out the fire-escape."

"Wait," Mrs. Cormaci said, "is it a code one or a code two?"

"No," Gregor said blushing, "code one is Luxa. Code two is any other underlander."

"Oh, yes. I remember that being rather touching."

"Okay, just cover me please," Gregor muttered, very embarrassed.

He hung up the phone, and wrote a note to his parents who were at the store with Boots and Lizzie, buying Christmas presents. Gregor had already bought presents, so he stayed at home enjoying his first day of winter break. Although he wasn't enjoying it much anymore.

He began writing.

_ Mom and Dad, there is an underlander outside the apartment. I'll be hiding at the playground by the apartment building for a few hours 'till he gives up. Don't be worried, I'll be fine._ -_Gregor_

Gregor ran down the fire escape. He was glad he threw salt on these everyday, or he'd have slipped by now.

He heard a shout, and he turned to see the underlander on the next fire escape over. The guy next door (who had just been broken into) looked flustered, as he chased the underlander. Gregor thought he heard something about his neighbor, Mr. Timmis, threatening to call the cops on the extremely foreign soldier. Like it would help. NYPD couldn't arrest someone with no records. At all. From any country. Or the surface of a continent. He charged Gregor, attempted to swing himself over the railing, slipped, and barely managed to hang on to the cold bars. He let go of the bars on his side, and did a back flip in the air. He spun through the air like a natural. He grabbed on to the edge of Gregor's fire-escape. Gregor ran down the rest of the fire-escape until he arrived at the sidewalk.

But he failed to realize that he was just below the hanging underlander.

He noticed his mistake when the underlander fell from above, slamming into him. Gregor shoved him off, and ran into a nearby alley way.

The man followed him. Gregor picked up a two-by-four and swung at the underlander. The underlander ducked and picked up metal rod. The two fought back and forth. Gregor's rager sense had kicked in, but it hardly did him any good. The guy was as great of a fighter as he was. Maybe better.

Finally, the underlander whacked the two-by-four. It split in half. Splinters showered everywhere and the underlander got one in the area of his eye.

"Ow!" He cried out, holding his eye area in pain, and dropping the metal rod. It clanked on the ice, smashing it. Gregor grabbed the rod for self defense, and then began running. The underlander recovered and began running after Gregor. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the underlander jump off a nearby dumpster, flying straight towards Gregor. Gregor turned and swung the pole but the underlander had a dagger. He paused. That like Solovet's or he should say _his_ dagger. Rubies were all over it. It really was his! Vikus must have given it to this guy. Gregor felt an urge to get it back. The underlander cut his hand. Insignificant. Well it broke skin and bled, but it was small. Nevertheless, Gregor decided to sell it. He dropped the rod holding his hand pretending to be in pain. You could learn a lot from helping Angelina practice lines at lunch.

Then just as the underlander was walking over to him, Gregor pulled out the pocket-knife his mother had locked away. Six months ago he'd found it and put it in his emergency pack. Now he was glad he had. He flipped the blade out and spun, cutting the underlander's hand. The underlander dropped the knife. He ran toward him. Gregor jumped in the air bending his legs. He kicked the underlander in the chest. The guy got back up, crouching into a battle stance. He charged at Gregor who swung a leg at his head. The guy grabbed his leg, holding it, ready to twist. Gregor struggled, then raised the knife, to throw it. Suddenly, Gregor heard a loud thump and the underlander fell to the ground, dropping his leg. Gregor fell hard on his butt. He looked at the underlander. He'd been hit in the head by a brick, which was lying a few feet away from the underlander. It must have fallen off a building. Gregor finally got a good look at his opponent. His eyes were closed, but Gregor knew he had purple irises. He had short, silver blonde hair, and stubble on his chin, and under that a scar that ran across his jaw-line on his right side. Then he saw two boots moving closer to the underlander's head. Gregor looked up and saw Scott, brick raised, ready to throw.

"Go away, Scott this has nothing to do with you."

"It doesn't matter. Hey, he has something to do with those scars doesn't he?" Scott loudly accused, trying to draw attention. He pointed his finger at Gregor.

Gregor looked around nervously. "No, Scott. He doesn't. Now leave. What's going on here is a greater thing than you could ever know. So just leave this to me."

"Who the heck are you? Jason Bourne? I can help you."

"Scott, go away _now_."

"No."

"Your really smart to disagree with a guy with two knives and a metal pole aren't you?"

Scott quit and ran off.

Scott had been a problem since he'd seen Gregor's scars.

Four months ago months ago, Larry's cousin Scott had moved to New York City. Larry invited Scott to sit with them at lunch. He was a nice, witty guy with an extremely large sense of humor.

Best part was, Gregor and Larry could tell Angelina actually liked Scott. Gregor saw Angelina sneaking glances at Scott, and saw pictures of Scott in her locker. Also, Scott was obsessed with gadgets from Radio Shack, and two days after he moved in, Angelina started wearing Radio Shack T-shirts. One day, Gregor asked her about it.

"Okay, you got me," She muttered quietly after a long ten minutes of Gregor casually listing the evidence with Larry, "it's well, you know, blue eyes, gorgeous blonde hair," she stared down at the floor, her voice getting quieter with each word, "Wait a second! Did Scott put you up to this? I'm a black belt in karate and I will _school_ you!"

She had raised a fist and Gregor said, "Whoa, _that_ won't be necessary. I was just saying, last week before Scott moved in, you said Radio Shack is for people with athlete's foot and bad acne that don't have better things to do than, and I quote, 'test little machines and useless gizmos, that some nerd created in his mom's basement.' It seems like you've changed a lot since last week. And besides, Vicky was telling me you hired a private detective for 'confidential reasons'. A week later some guy seemed to be following Scott around our apartment building. By the way, tell Vicky to lay off the James Bond. Confidential? Give me a break."

"Shoot," Angelina had muttered, "I should have remembered you guys live in the same building. Of course I knew _you_ of all people would notice. How could Vicky tell you that? Even if it's your friend you can never trust a cheerleader."

"Despite how pretty some are," Larry said unconsciously, who quickly blushed, jumping with embarrassment, spilling mashed potatoes on his shirt.

A week after that, Larry held a sleepover for Scott's birthday.

While Gregor was secretly putting on fish ointment in the bathroom, Scott walked in on Gregor. The two thirteen year-old's sized each other up before Gregor broke out in fake tears.

"You see," Gregor bawled, "my family was robbed a year ago, and I tried to be a hero. I jumped on the guy and he cut me with a butcher knife," Gregor lied, "promise not to tell anybody."

"Sure," Scott had said hiding his suspicion, "but what's that ointment thing?"

"My mother's, second cousin's... uh, half-sister has a great uncle who has a nephew who has a cousin who has a first cousin once removed, who knows a friend, who has a sister, who has a friend, who has a friend, who has a dog, who has a puppy, who is currently owned by a witch doctor on a Comanche Reservation. He suggested this ointment stuff to fade the scars faster."

"Wow, word of mouth is more powerful than I thought." Scott said, obviously not believing the story, but pretending he did for the rest of the party.

For the next two months Scott set up Radio Shack cameras around the apartment building to watch Gregor's every move. After a week of it, Gregor began taking them out with a sling shot. It was kinda fun, actually. On more casual events he'd carry a sling shot in his back pocket. When he saw one, he shot it as soon he saw one of the four weak spots: the screen, bottom, battery pack, or the sticky pad holding it to the wall.

Once, he took one out by Scott's apartment, and he heard a shout of frustration from inside. Gregor quickly hid behind a wall. Scott had walked out, still looking at his laptop. One of the remaining video-feed boxes was blacked out, and Scott picked up the broken camera.

"I only have three cameras left! Who the heck is shooting these anyway?" Scott mumbled, "whoever it is is a great shot. Hey, a rock!" Scott exclaimed picking up Gregor's former ammo. "Why is this here? I'll have to run some tests..."

Gregor spied the video feed from Scott's laptop. He recognized the locations. The lobby, laundry room, and... wait, Gregor's house?

How did he get a bug, in Gregor's house?

Then he remembered the bundle of old clothes Scott had given Lizzie.

"From my sister," Scott had said.

_Dang, that kid is good!_ Gregor had thought.

So, the next day he took out the remaining cameras in style. He found the first in the laundry room. Using a screw-driver he unscrewed the battery pack lid, then he used the tip of the screw-driver to pull the batteries out, replacing them with magnets. Then he screwed the case lid back on.

The second was duct-taped to the bottom of the door knob on the door to the stair-well in a lobby. He glanced around the lobby, checking to see no one was there, so no one (like Scott) could stop him. He grabbed hold of the knob and casually crushed the camera.

He found out the third was literally a robot _bug_, crawling on the ceiling. It must have been inside the clothes. He debated with himself on how to take it out without Scott knowing it was Gregor. Then he noticed it followed him around the house. So that day when he was eating dinner he pointed it out to his mom. She grabbed a broom a smacked it off the ceiling.

"Don't worry mom, I got it," Gregor offered. It was still squirming when he grabbed it. Scott had probably been desperately using the remote control to get it out of Gregor's hands. And Gregor frantically ripped off it's head. Then Gregor went out onto the fire-escape and he dropped the bug six stories down.

Scott wasn't giving up though, because Gregor saw more cameras around the building. These however, were smaller and noticeably well hidden. He even found one in his locker at school.

Long story short: Scott was a creep.

And now, in the alley way Scott had seen him fighting this underlander.

Gregor dragged the underlander into an old, knocked over dumpster. Gregor had set up a battery powered lamp, and put in some snacks. He even found an old chair and a desk that fit inside. It was his own little secret hideout. He then wrapped some gauze on his hand. He put some on the underlanders hand, too, for the sake off interrogative hospitality.

He made a few snowballs and waited until the underlander came to. When he did, the underlander found himself bound in duct-tape. His hands were taped together, and so were his feet. He struggled with his bonds and fell off the chair. Gregor turned on the lamp and pointed it at the boy. He looked at least sixteen.

The underlander squinted, and Gregor felt bad about this particular torture. This guy wasn't used to light this bright. Gregor turned on a tape recorder, and began speaking.

"State your name and business," Gregor barked.

"What?"

"Answer the question!" Gregor yelled, slamming his hands the desk. Was he really acting like Gibbs on N.C.I.S.? Weird. He continued to stare at the guy, then stopped, because that _really _reminded him of Gibbs.

"Nathan. And, I'm here on Queen Luxa's orders."

Gregor smiled, but he tried to hide it from Nathan. Luxa hadn't forgotten about him. Gregor wanted to cry with relief, but he held himself together.

"Yes, and why did Luxa want you to come here?"

"Regalia has been invaded by the enemy."

Gregor gulped and asked weakly, "What enemy?"

"The spinners, cutters, hissers, so on and so forth. Now let me go!"

"No."

"Look," Nathan said, hopping towards Gregor with his hands and feet taped up, "your absolutely crazy. I knew Ripred was telling the truth."

"Right, I'm crazier than an underlander who travels to the Overland, on what will soon be a suicide mission," Gregor challenged, picking up the ruby dagger. He flipped it around on his hand, and set it back on the table. Gregor threw a snowball at him for effect. The underlander shuddered, but kept his balance.

"Look, Gregor, our queen may be love-sick, but she could send me to the jungle for disobeying her. She did that to Howard for two months because he crossed her at the dinner table! She could send me to the fire lands for all I know. Or worse, the uncharted lands," he shivered at that last part.

Then he fell over onto the desk. He grunted and rolled onto the floor, then he turned to face Gregor. This guy didn't like duct-tape too much.

"How could you fight me so well?" Gregor asked, since that had been bothering for quite a while. Nobody could beat him at fencing. He was champion at the fencing place his dad had signed him up for. He did it because he could tell Gregor was itching to use his rager ability.

"You didn't think you and Ripred are the _only_ _ragers_ in existence, did you?" Nathan grinned.

It dawned on Gregor. Of course they'd send a rager to retrieve him! How could he be so stupid!

"Now," Nathan began, squirming, "for _my _questions. Your coming back with me."

"Technically, that's not a question, that's a statement," Gregor argued.

"Whatever! Come with me now!" Then he jumped up, the ruby dagger in hand, free from the tape. Gregor looked at the desk the dagger had been sitting on, nothing was on it but the lamp.

"That explains why he fell on the table, and why he was jerking around on the floor", Gregor thought. "He must have cut himself free." He grabbed his pocket knife but Nathan kicked his hand, forcing him to drop it, and then Nathan kicked the knife across the hut. Then he punched Gregor in the stomach and pushed him against the wall. He grabbed his hair and forced his head up, making his neck stick out. Gregor felt Nathans warm breath against his face.

Nathan pressed the dagger against his throat and spoke.

"Look Gregor! I didn't come all this way to tour around New York City, and go back to tell Luxa, 'we need pizza and elevators in the Underland'.Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. You here me?"

Gregor kicked Nathans, ah, groin and said, "No, you look pal, I'm not throwing away nine months of hypnotherapy my dad had to take impossibly expensive classes to learn, as any therapist would send me to a hospital, for you, Ripred, Regalia, or Luxa," his voice cracked on the last word. Then he said again without cracking, "or Luxa."

Nathan stared at him, "Fine."

Then Nathan walked out of the hide-out and threw the dagger on the ground. He began walking in the direction of Central Park.

Gregor picked up the dagger, and walked back inside the hut. He wrapped up the dagger in a bandanna. He retrieved his pocket-knife, and closed it. Then he picked up his emergency pack. He turned off the lamp, and closed up the dumpster for the rest of the day.

He began walking up the fire escape, very slowly, waiting for Nathan to pop out again, knock him out, and drag him to Regalia.

Nathan never appeared, though.

He was uneasy the rest of the night, and while he told the whole story to his spooked family, and they said he'd be fine, he was waiting for Nathan to kick down the door, and drag him kicking and screaming to Regalia.

Nathan never appeared, though.

He was scared to sleep. Afraid that Nathan would appear at his window in the night, and he'd wake up underground.

Nathan never appeared, though.

But, later in the night, at about three A.M., while Gregor was half-asleep, a tiny scritch, scratch, was heard. In two minutes, the walls were alive with a roar of scratches. Gregor and his parents awoke to the noise they'd heard once before. Gregor grabbed Lizzie and Boots, and herded them into the stair-well. They were moving faster than last time, though, because Gregor's grandma was dead. It had happened early in the summer. He remembered her last words to him: "Simon, I love you," and then, "Oh, sorry, Gregor. I love you, sweetie." It was a slightly lucid moment.

When they got to the lobby, like last year, rats were trying to gnaw their way in. But this time, instead of having to go through the walls, the rats parted, and Nathan walked up to the doors.

Gregor yelled, "No!" just as Nathan pushed open the doors. Rats flooded through the lobby, and Gregor prepared for impact. But the rats were attacking Gregor's _family_ instead. They swerved right around him. Even when he kicked them, they ignored him, and charged the family.

Then Gregor yelled, "Okay!"

The rats stopped, and as if they were slaves after the Civil War, they stopped everything they were doing, and scuttled into the night.

Gregor slipped on his emergency pack, and followed Nathan out the door. He waved to his horrified, gasping, scratch-covered family. Lizzie was the only one with enough will power to wave back. The rest of them were gasping, staring into space. Boots started crying, and his mom lightly patted her on the back.

"Gregor," Nathan called, "I have twenty hour deadline here. She gave that to me when I came back the first time. And I'd like to be as early as possible. I'd rather _not _be literally _kicked_ all the way to the jungle."

"Right, sorry," Gregor said sadly.

They walked all the way to Central Park, rats following them in the shadows. When they got there, Nathan plunged his sword into the crack around the rock. He pulled the slab up, and they climbed inside.

"Did you actually get him this time?" A soft voice purred.

"Let this answer your question," Nathan said lightly pushing Gregor roughly forward.

Gregor freaked out at first because he thought he was in a deadly trap. Until Gregor saw the most beautiful bat ever. She was partly gold, like Aurora, but at the back part of her, he saw browns, and blues, and pinks, and greens. She was like a rainbow.

"This is Iris," Nathan said proudly, "my bond."

"Nice to meet you," Gregor greeted, a little upset she was already bonded.

"But it's more of a pleasure to meet _you_, Overlander," Iris politely greeted back.

"Let us go swiftly, to avoid trouble," Nathan urged, getting impatient, and climbing on to Iris. He reached for Gregor's hand, and Gregor climbed on as well.

The flight was uneventful, but Gregor saw some humans flying patrol. This made Iris and Nathan uneasy. Gregor asked why.

"You see," Nathan said worriedly, "humans are afraid to ride their fliers, because some got snatched out of the air by spinners. So we only fought on land. I was allowed to fly Iris here, because it was the only way we could get you in a quick fashion."

Gregor nodded. Now _he _was worried. But a little curious. A spark of excitement went off in his heart, something he'd been deprived of.

They flew by a guard and stopped to talk.

"Why are you on fliers?" Nathan asked. "Have we joined the enemy?"

"No! An attack was launched on The Fount. During the battle, humans used fliers and they won because of the large aerial advantage. Now we are allowed to fly!" the guard cheered. Then he zoomed over the Water Way.

"Oh no," Nathan and Iris said together.

"What?" Gregor asked, "you can use the fliers again! Why are you sad?"

"We're from The Fount," Iris choked holding back tears.

Nathan actually let a few tears slip down his cheeks. "The number of dead could be devastating. And _who_ could be dead is a worse matter."

"Well, I, uh, what if Stellovet died?" Gregor tried.

The two of them paused for a minute, before Nathan said, "I guess I could live with _that_."

Iris stopped flying in mid-air, and the human members of the party were in stitches. Iris let out a few "huh–huh–huhs", signaling she was laughing.

Iris picked up the pace again, and said, "she obviously dreams of marrying Nathan."

"Don't get me started on 'the scroll'," Nathan chuckled.

"What's that?" Gregor asked.

"A long poem expressing her love for Nathan," Iris laughed.

"It was painful," Nathan snorted.

The three of them were silent the rest of the flight, until Gregor said, "why not go to The Fount? To ease the pain, count the dead, see if Stellovet really is gone."

"I guess that would be fine," Iris replied, changing course.

"Deadline!" Nathan warned, "very big _Dead_line!"

"Forget it Nathan," Iris sighed, "we have plenty of time."

It was another hour through the dark, before they saw bright lights in the distance. Gregor clicked his tongue, and with the echolocation burst he saw a beautiful city before him. But he also saw it was being torn apart.

"Wow," Gregor whispered, having this been his first time at the city.

They landed in The Fount arena and what they saw was a medical zone.

Soldiers, citizens, and creatures were scattered over the area. Gregor saw some familiar ones, like stingers, crawlers, fliers, and so on. And some he didn't know _existed_ in the Underland. Like snapping turtles, and a few dead owls in the corner.

Gregor spotted a sweaty, tired, and feverishly working man sitting in the corner.

"Father!" Nathan whispered to Iris. She nodded, and he ran to the man. He tapped him on the shoulder. And the man stood up. They hugged each other tightly.

"That's Nathans father, Atticus," Iris smiled affectionately.

York walked over to them.

He had dark circles under his eyes, and pale, sad-looking skin.

"York!" Iris bowed (or as close as you can get when your a flier), "why aren't you in the fight? We saw one out there."

York pressed his lips together, and spoke, "It's Susanna."

"Dead?" Iris gasped.

"Almost. She's got twenty-one stitches, and a broken leg," York sighed. He straightened. "In the meantime, Gregor, I've fought side by side with you. Your amazing," he tossed Gregor a sword, and a shield with two holes in it.

"Go get them."

The guards wouldn't let him just walk out though. They suited him up with a armor, and told him how to use several new weapons people had been inventing. He was assigned to a flier named Theseus. Theseus was a large orange flier with yellow stripes down his back. Theseus had a flier bomb pack strapped on his stomach. He gave a light smile to Gregor.

Gregor climbed on to Theseus and said, "Hi, I'm Gregor."

"I know," Theseus pointed out, "hard to forget the name of the warrior."

"Right," Gregor nodded.

Without warning, Theseus rocketed into the air, and over the city.

A bee flew by, and Theseus yelled, "buzzer!"

Gregor cut off it's wings with his sword. Unable to fly, it spiraled down towards a hisser, stinger first. The bee could only sting once, so it died. The poison got to the hisser and it fell over, after accidentally whipping it's tail into a twister, who crashed into a spinner and three cutters. The force of the impact killed the spinner and cutters, and the twister landed on a stray sword.

"Wow," Gregor gasped.

"Yes, instead of just taking out one, you killed seven," Theseus nodded respectfully.

"It was a mistake," Gregor said.

"Maybe, but that could get you an army promotion, so don't say that later."

Gregor laughed, and they soared upwards, searching for targets.

They swooped down and killed a lobster. Or a snapper, as Theseus called it.

Cries of chompers swimming down the river were ringing in the air. Gregor looked down, horrified. Many soldiers and civilians had taken cover in the river that ran through The Fount. Red-bellied piranhas were eating the people alive.

Theseus flew over the river and dropped a cow carcass into the water. Instinct took over the chompers and they swarmed the meat. Theseus dropped more cows.

"What is in that pack?" Gregor yelled.

"A lot!" Theseus yelled back.

The chompers started eating the carcasses, buying a few soldiers some time to climb onto the turtles. More "biters" began jumping into the river, saving soldiers.

Soon everyone was out but the chompers, and flier bombs rained down on them.

Theseus decided to use a few acid nets. It was the dropping version, so fliers could drop them, trapping the victim underneath the horrible net.

"Glarers!" Theseus yelled.

Owls came at them from both sides.

Gregor pulled out a jaw bone boomerang and threw it to the side. It hit a glarer on his left and Gregor ducked. It stabbed the glarer on the right. The boomerang flew back to Gregor and he caught it.

A buzzer flew at Gregor. He saw the targets he needed to hit. He chose the neck. It was good to have the rager sense running like this again. Not like fencing, when he has to hold back to avoid going nuts on his opponent.

The fight continued like this for a long while. Soon, the enemy was either dead, captured, or retreating. It was great.

They flew back to the arena. There was a large section of soldiers that were being cared for.

There was another section of slightly better soldiers who were cheering. Theseus landed on the ground near them, after having a brief inspection for wounds. It wasn't much, just a few cuts, scrapes, and bruises. The doctor put ointment on the cuts and scrapes, then waved them off, almost angry, like they wasted his time.

Two minutes later, Gregor met Nathan and his brother, Ethan and Ethan's flier, Prometheus. He was a brute of a bat who seemed gloomy and sullen, though Gregor didn't have a clue why.

Ethan shook Gregor's hand.

"It was hard to get to know you up in the air while we were killing buzzers," Gregor greeted.

"What better way to meet the _warrior_ than like that," Ethan joked. People around them laughed.

Gregor laughed lightly, but something about Ethan didn't ring right with him.

"Gregor! Come on we're having a celebration!" York yelled.

Gregor nodded and followed. He racked his brain to remember what he'd been thinking. He couldn't remember.

So, for the rest of the party, Gregor tried to enjoy himself. It was fun, kind of. As fun as it gets when your showing off scars, trading war stories, sparring, and just eating. York and other soldiers were going in and out, checking on wounded loved ones. Susanna was even brought over on a stretcher, but just for a minute to give a light wave before she was carried off again. A few glarers attacked occasionally, but the died after less than a minute.

Three hours later, the party was over.

Things seemed to be going better anyway, like it was said Susanna was finally conscious, the city wasn't as badly damaged as many had thought, and people were moving back into their homes. Some stingers would be walking around for a while though, taking out the remaining enemy. And because of this victory, more creatures seemed to be taking the humans seriously. Apparently, the gnawers and biters had gone out on a limb to help the humans. But other creatures were afraid that if Regalia, the main human city, or stronghold, or whatever, couldn't fight the enemy out of their land, it really wasn't worth the allegiance. So, as York told him, he had a lot of work to when he got to Regalia.

The most shocking part of the party was that York had told Gregor, as Luxa, at thirteen could rule the kingdom, Gregor was able to conduct a battle. Would Luxa expect that from him? Is that why she sent for him? To be a general? Had Luxa moved on? Was she with a different guy? The thought was unbearable. To be denying love. To be turning down dates. Gregor wasn't going to lie, girls liked him. He had gotten bigger in the year since the War of Time. He was tall for his age, and was told to join football. Girls followed him around. He had rejected love and dates for a year, but had Luxa moved on? Was she over him? If she was, what was the point? Of coming here, of fighting, of even living. He had kept the picture, scanned it to a computer twelve times, and even taped a copy of it to the board he did homework on. But had Luxa forgotten him? Not the warrior, not the general, not the overlander, not Ares' bond, but him. Him. The one that loved her and would chase her across the world, through the gates of heck and back. Did she remember that? Gregor didn't know.

Nathan climbed on Iris to head for Regalia. Gregor was going to climb on, when Theseus hopped over and offered to take Gregor there.

"Sure," Gregor replied, not knowing what else to say.

He climbed on. He felt like he was twelve again, fighting gnawers. He was on a huge bat, in armor, with a sword on his belt. It was like the good old days. And, now he was going to see Luxa again. He felt like laughing with joy. Unless, Luxa wasn't into him anymore.

The flight to Regalia was uneventful. He saw a hisser scurry away in fear, but other than that, things were quiet. Nathan said it was because they were most likely under order not to attack, for fear of the humans thinking they were declaring a battle. And since, the enemy still needed to lick their wounds and restrengthen their armies, a battle was a terrible idea for them.

Soon, Gregor could see lights. Torches. It was Regalia. A place he had longed for for a year.

They had to go through a security clearance, but it didn't take too long, as soon as they saw Gregor's physical features.

"The warrior!" they whispered excitedly.

Gregor politely asked Theseus to fly at full speed from the arena to the palace. Theseus nodded, and sped through the city faster than most bats could handle. Under them, he saw battles raging, every warrior fighting, then switching off. "Bad, but contained." As Theseus said.

They landed in the High Hall. Mareth was there, a large grin spread on his face.

"Gregor!" Mareth yelled happily, helping Gregor off Theseus and crushing him in a rib-snapping hug.

Nathan flew in, watching Gregor's uncomfortable state. He burst into badly covered laughter, and Iris made a few "huh–huh–huhs". Even when you were in armor, Mareth gave killer bear-hugs.

While Gregor was in the air, and having the air squeezed out of his lungs, he saw her walking down the hall. Her gown was flowing behind her, her hair was cut short for war, and a tiara on her head. She had her half-smile planted on her tired looking face, and her beautiful violet eyes were looking happier every second she was in the room. Despite the girls that asked him out at school, she was the prettiest girl he'd seen in over a year.

Luxa.

She walked over to him, just as Mareth set him down.

Gregor held open his arms to give her a hug, but she walked right past him.

She approached Nathan instead.

Gregor got a bad feeling. Had Nathan left something out? Maybe a relationship? Anger swelled Gregor's chest, until he saw what happened next.

Nope, Nathan hadn't left out a thing.

Nathan smiled nervously, right before Luxa punched him in the stomach.

"You're late," Luxa growled.

"Late?" Nathan sputtered, wincing.

"By a few minutes," Luxa answered coldly.

"Gregor," Nathan said weakly, "are we actually late?"

"The battle, the party, and the flight here took a while," Gregor replied.

"Is this going to cost me a trip to the jungle?" Nathan asked in a fearful tone.

"Normally, yes," Luxa glared, "but since we're in the middle of a war, you'll be allowed to stay in Regalia."

"Thank you, your majesty," Nathan sighed, relieved.

"But," Luxa smiled, "you're scrubbing the bathing rooms."

"That's only fair," Nathan grumbled sheepishly, walking down the hall.

Iris hung her head, waiting for her punishment.

"And, since I know it's not your fault, Iris, and you've been keeping up quite a chase between you and Stellovet's flier, Artemis, which has kept Stellovet extremely busy, trying to catch Nathan. A busy Stellovet means no surprise visits to my city, taking a large weight off my shoulders. For your amazing efforts, you can sleep on the fifth stalactite in the palace."

"The fifth stalactite!" Iris shrieked joyously, "this is the greatest honor a flier can receive. Even if it's just one night..."

"One night?" Luxa questioned, "you may use it as much as you want."

Iris opened her mouth to speak, and closed it again. She bowed to Luxa, and ran down the hall.

"What are the stalactites?" Gregor asked Mareth, thinking Luxa was acting way to nice. There was logic behind this kindness. Luxa wanted something.

"There are five stalactites built into the palace, only the most important bats can sleep on them. It's an honor for Iris, and an outrageous gift on Luxa's part. The fifth stalactite hasn't had a real owner since Ares died," Mareth whispered back.

Gregor nodded, his jaw clenching at the mention of Ares' name.

"And you Theseus," Luxa smiled, "are dismissed, and invited to luncheon."

Theseus nodded, and smiled. He bowed, and hopped away.

Then Luxa turned to Mareth and saluted. Mareth saluted back and ran down the hall.

Finally, Luxa did something Gregor had been waiting for. She hugged him.

She released him, and stared him down.

"Bathe."

"Don't burn my clothes."

"Deal," Luxa smiled.

They walked down the hall, silent. He guessed he had expected them to spill out every detail of what had happened in their lives in the past fourteen months, but nothing really was to be said.

But as they approached the baths, Luxa said something unexpected.

"Have you, well, been kissing any girls, lately?"

"Just one," Gregor smiled, kissing her on the cheek.

She half-smiled back at him.

Gregor walked into the bathroom and took off his armor. He folded his clothes in a neat stack, and stepped into the tub.

"That was extremely sappy," Gregor sighed.

"Yes, it was," a voice agreed.

Gregor jumped, and turned to see Hazard, standing near the entrance of the tub.

"As soon as you entered the palace, I was sent to collect your clothes. I was waiting inside the bathing room the whole time. You seemed too preoccupied to notice though," Hazard observed.

"That's embarrassing," Gregor muttered under his breath.

"I agree, and I apologize," Hazard said glumly, "and don't be too hard on her about that question. She's been muttering that in her sleep for literally months."

"Uh, I'm kinda bathing right now so..." Gregor began.

"Oh, sorry, I understand what you mean," Hazard blushed, leaving.

Gregor finished a little while later and put on some fresh spinner-silk clothes. As he put it, on he wondered how they got silk without an alliance with the spinners.

"Hazard!" he called.

The eight year-old came in and stood expectantly.

"How do you get the silk? With the war and all?"

Hazard stepped forward and said, "The shiners are trying to remain strictly neutral. The spinners still trade with them. They supply us with silk, in exchange for cake."

Gregor smiled happily. Predictable. Of course they were trading for cake.

Hazard stopped while walking out, like he wanted to ask something. He shook his head slightly, then walked off.

Gregor slipped on the smoky blue shirt, and walked into the hall. Civilians were sitting around. Mostly children under ten, babies and their mothers, and old men and women.

They whispered excitedly as he stepped out. Man, he was a celebrity.

He saw Luxa walk out of her bathing room as well. She was as beautiful as ever, with a flowing purple dress, and the tiara on her head.

A man came running down the hall.

"Queen Luxa," he gasped, "another Overlander!"

Gregor immediately wondered if it was someone he knew.

A white fedora with a black band around it was planted on his head, a scratch ran across his cheek, and he wore a huge smile.

Yes, Gregor did know him.

Gregor felt a growl rising in his throat.

"I thought I said to leave this to me!"

"Yeah, you did, but I was too curious, so I was informed from somebody. Maybe a nine-year old related to you."

Gregor ran up to Scott and punched him in the jaw. How dare he pressure Lizzie!

Scott rubbed his jaw, and swiped Gregor's shins with his foot, forcing him to fall over.

"Karate. Black Belt. You got nothing on that pretty boy," Scott snorted, standing up.

Gregor stood up. Now his rager sense was kicking in. He was mad. His vision split and he saw a target. A good one.

"Oh, yeah?" he asked, jumping high in the air and whacking the side of Scott's face with his foot, and he landed on his feet. Both fists raised, he said, "rager, three years."

"Whee! Go, Gregor!" yelled an old man, beating his fist on the wall. Luxa glared at him, and he fell silent. "Sowry, Queenie."

Gregor saw Nathan walking down the hall, a small scrubbing device in hand. He whistled a small tune. He pulled up short and grinned. He obviously knew what was going on. He took a step back. Safety first.

Then a large thick tail whipped under the two boys. When they looked up, Ripred snarled.

"What on or under this earth are you two doing?" he scowled, "behaving like your a group of immature two year-old's!"

"I told Scott not to get involved!"

"How did Scott know in the first place?" Ripred challenged.

Gregor kept his mouth shut, knowing it was best not to mess with Ripred.

Scott didn't know that though.

"Well, first I saw a ton of scars. So, I got suspicious. Then I saw him fighting some pale guy," Scott said proudly.

"That was me," Nathan informed from behind.

"Well, hats off to you, sir, cause' you were kickin' his butt."

"He was not!" Gregor argued.

Suddenly, the hallway was ringing with a din of voices. Ripred was trying to break up the fight, and Scott was yelling at Gregor, calling him a loser fighter. Gregor yelled that he was the contrary, and Nathan was trying to get to the bathing room to carry out his duty, Taro was the guy who had brought word of Scott's arrival and was currently trying to stop the yelling by threatening assassination, Vikus had found his way there and was currently holding his hands out to keep Gregor and Scott as far away from each other as possible. Howard was standing several yards away trying to figure out what to do, and Hazard was trying to defend Luxa from harm. Mareth stood off to the side and seemed highly confused. But then, can you blame him?

"Enough!" Luxa yelled, "Ripred! Against the wall! Gregor! Quiet and by me! Taro, put your sword down. Vikus, stay where you are. Nathan, keep up the good work. Scott! Go ten paces backwards and shut your mouth. Mareth, go help prepare luncheon. Hazard, would you please run to our room. And Howard, please attend to any wounds."

Everyone obeyed her orders, but Scott loudly questioned Luxa's authority first.

"Who died and made you queen?" he asked.

"My parents did," Luxa said stolidly.

Scott shut up, and did what he was told.

Then Luxa announced that it was one hour to lunch.

"Today we will have shrimp in cream sauce, and fish. Along with some other dishes our chefs are preparing as we speak," Luxa tried to say happily.

"Yes!" Ripred cheered.

Luxa shot him a glare.

"Sorry," he sighed.

Luxa led Gregor away to a separate, private part of the castle where no one was hobbling around, or just sitting. It was by her rooms.

"Gregor," she whispered, "I ordered your retrieval for two reasons. I missed you. And second, since Solovet died, Perdita is our one general capable of participating in a battle. Not standing behind a wall and giving orders from there. Mareth has a prosthetic, and Vikus' side froze up last time we sent him out. Ripred needs a flier large enough to hold him, and those are hard to come by, and the ones we have, are bonded to strict men and women, who generally hate gnawers, as do the fliers themselves. I'm an extremely large target, and Nathan can't really give orders. He's good at following them, but only if you have a reasonable threat. And of course York is in the Fount."

"I understand completely," Gregor nodded.

Luxa looked relieved.

Then she kissed him. It was the best thing that had happened to him for what had to probably be days. Days. It had been _days_, since he'd seen Nathan at his doorstep, and he'd slept only three measly hours since then.

Then he got _really_ tired.

He was led to a little room on the side of the hall, and he fell into a dreamless sleep.

**Hi, guys! Hope your having a good day! I own none of the rights to the Underland Chronicles, N.C.I.S., or The Bourne Trilogy. Wow, this chapter is twelve pages. That's long for this particular story. Sorry Scott was rude in this chapter. He'll be a nicer guy, later. But he's having trouble processing the fact he's been living above a whole other world. Or is he? Maybe he's perfectly fine? Chapter 6, which, will be through Scott's POV. So you can find out when you read it. Hats off to you guys!**

** Thank you to . The review you gave me on Chapter 1 was possibly the best review I've gotten. Thank you times a thousand. And I know just what mean about not finding the proper story.**

** P.S. Let's just hope Scott makes it out alive!**

** -FedoraFan **


	6. Battles of Wit with a Nine Year Old

**Welcome my pure****ly**** awesome Regalian brethren, or am I the only one in existence? Welcome to chapter 6. Oh, and I own nothing, except for my OC's and things that I made up. Enjoy my **_**awesome**_** story! Filled with **_**awesome **_**characters and ideas! And ****I'm not vain at all! ;)**

Scott couldn't exactly say he was in the Gregor Fan Club. It's hard to really like someone when they kick you on the side of your face.

The guy named Howard was rubbing ointment on Scott's face, and he winced, because honestly, it hurt a lot.

Then Howard said something. "It is in your best interest not to speak of Luxa's parents, or question her authority. She rules with an iron fist for a reason, you know."

"Why? Her parents?" Scott asked, referring to her cold, hard comment from earlier.

Howard paused, then looked around to find that people actually were in the hall, then he answered in a quiet whisper. "No, she was better, or I should say kinder, then. Her flier, Aurora, helped her. But it really started last year when Gregor, well, you know... left."

Scott looked at Howard's terrified face and said, "you seem more afraid of her than the others."

"Because I'm her cousin."

"Shouldn't that give you some sort of special immunity then?" Scott asked. Family came first, right? But then, why was Howard so fearful?

"No, it actually makes her less afraid to punish me," Howard shuddered, "especially when it comes to politics or trade. I once said over the _dinner table_ that trading two grain baskets for three baskets of fish with crawlers was fairly reasonable, and she thought it wasn't, and henceforth Nike and I were sent to the jungle for two months. I was nearly eaten by a plant."

"Yeah, that sounds pretty bad," Scott said, considering this.

"Okay, now, you are done!" Howard exclaimed rubbing the rubbing alcohol off with a rag, "Ripred! Any problems?"

"Taro cut me," Ripred growled, looking at the spy, while nursing a knee that was bleeding.

"But you cut _me_!" Taro yelled back, holding out a bleeding arm.

"After you cut me!" Ripred roared.

The three sentences had way to many _cut me_'s for Scott's taste.

Taro drew his sword, crouching into an battle stance. Ripred crouched his legs to lunge.

Then Howard pulled out a slightly primitive syringe, and poked Ripred on the back. The rat fell on the floor, out cold.

"He should be out for half an hour," Howard said simply, wiping off the syringe and dusting off his hands, like he did that every day.

Howard began stitching up Ripred, not paying any attention to Scott. After a few moments Scott decided to leave.

He wandered around the huge palace until he finally came to a corridor. Then he saw Gregor and- what was her name? Alexa? Loxu? Luxa? Yeah, Luxa. That's was her name.

They were muttering about something. And then he saw Luxa kiss Gregor. On the lips.

"Holy crap," thought Scott, hiding behind the corner. What the heck did these two have between each other? How long had they even know each other?

Then Scott thought something funny. What if they had, like, fought a war together or something, and fallen in love during the war. Now that would be hilarious. And cliché.

Chuckling to himself, he turned around. In his face was a giant rat. Behind the oversized rodent, was a huge, muscled guard, with no armor, but a large sword.

The rat spoke in a voice that was considerably higher than Ripred's, but, like Ripred's, it was still horrible and scary sounding, "I think Queen Luxa and the Warrior would like to be left alone."

He realized Gregor was the warrior. He wasn't surprised. Gregor had muscles and skill and good looks and girls following and an annoying gleam in his eye that made Scott constantly want to hit something. Not that Scott was jealous or anything.

The first time Scott had seen Gregor fight was on Scott's first day in New York, when a guy, Albert, or Al, was picking on him at Central Park. Calling him a "Mexicano" (since he was from New Mexico), and shoving him. That was when Gregor had stepped in.

"Hey, doofus!" He said cheerily, "I have some advice for your big ugly face. Stop," that was all the cocky insults he needed Albert to hit him. Then it started.

Scott ran off to safety and the guy took a swing at Gregor. Gregor ducked, slid between the guys legs and came up behind him. Instead of attacking him again, like most guys did, Gregor waited for Al to turn around. When he did, old Albert found a fist in his face. Albert wiped his bleeding nose and spat on the ground. Suddenly, a dozen guys appeared from the trees of the park. It was Al's gang. Strangely enough Gregor smiled, despite the stories about Al's gang Scott had already heard on his first day in New York City. Albert and his friends got ready to pummel Gregor, three of them holding chromium-lined bats, and three holding crowbars, six used fists, and Al had a BB gun. Then Gregor closed his fists and spun around and around and around. Every guy that attacked bounced off with a large bruise somewhere. It took twenty minutes, but soon most of Albert's gang had run away. Gregor was hardly phased, and not even dizzy. Albert stood before Gregor with three of his most prized guys. One raised his fists, one held a dropped crowbar from a guy that ran away, and another held a baseball bat. Gregor jumped on the guy with the bat, and wrenched it from his hands. He threw it into the other guys crowbar, and then he picked up both weapons and used them to deflect shots from Al's BB gun, an impossible feat. He kicked Al down the hill they had instinctively worked their way up to during the fight. Al landed at the bottom, and began climbing up again.

Gregor looked at fists. "You want some?" The guy ran off, tripping half-way down the hill, rolling the rest of the way. The other two ran to their rolling comrade, and the three wanna-be gangsters ran off. Albert climbed up.

"I'll make you pay for this!" Al yelled.

"Oh yeah?" Gregor asked, "you and what army?"

Al looked around to see himself alone. Al pulled out his BB gun when Gregor stepped closer. Gregor held up a hand. "The safety's on." He pointed out.

Al checked his gun.

"Oops. My mistake, it _was_ off!" Gregor apologized, but in a voice that made it clear he wasn't sorry at all. Gregor ran forward and wrenched the gun from Albert's hands, then "misfired" and got Albert in the foot. Albert hobbled off. Gregor ran to the edge of the forest, and hurled the gun in as far as he could. Everyone cheered.

Larry told him the following day at lunch, "Gregor is like the guardian of all kids that get picked on. He's a natural at fighting. One time at like eleven o'clock at night, John Henderson was getting beat up by these two guys, and Gregor and I were there. Gregor fought them in the dark. He led them straight into the trees. He didn't even need to see! It was unnatural! But anyway, Gregor totally schooled them. They came out sobbing and crying. John treats Gregor like a god."

Angelina, who had been there with them, said, "He is a liberator. A liberator for nerd kind."

Larry stared at her.

"What?" Angelina asked, taking another bite of cafeteria pizza.

Larry looked away, going back to his cafeteria chili. "Shakespearean," he accused.

"I'm a middle school girl in theater." She pointed out, mouth full of pizza. "I've learned the language of Shakespeare."

"There's a language?" Scott asked.

"Take a glass in drama." Angelina suggested. "Then you'll know, there's definitely a language."

Then Gregor came, and he asked, "What are we talking about?"

"Nothing, just the Shakespearean language." Larry replied, shooting glances at his friends to tell them not to say anything about schoolyard or park. "So, Gregor is there a really a language? Angelina insists there is, but Scott and I aren't so sure."

"Are you kidding?" Gregor had asked. "Of course! It's creepy to hear girls speaking in sixteenth-century speech, but eh, whatever, it's pretty cool."

"Of course, Gregor would know," Scott joked to Larry. "He's a girl magnet."

Gregor rolled his eyes in disgust.

"Hey," Larry had pointed out. "To be a true magnet you have to EXCEPT dates. Gregor, here, doesn't except _one_. Not one. Gregor, with great power, comes great responsibility. Don't abuse your natural gifts!"

"Haven't found a good girl yet." Gregor replied.

"You haven't opened up to find one yet." Angelina corrected. "You wouldn't believe what girls say about you! They're saying your the holy grail of boys: So close, yet so far away. Have you ever even been in love, Gregor? Or at least liked someone?"

Gregor remained silent, eyes not moving away from his food, then suddenly he spoke in an explosion of subject-changers. "So, they're having another performance at Carnegie Hall. I'm playing the saxophone, solo."

"Gre-" Angelina began.

"There's also a track meet on Saturday." He continued. "Anyone coming?"

No one replied, so he said more. "I have a fencing competition on Friday night. Going up against one of the best."

"I'll come to that," Scott said. Gregor smiled. It was smile that never reached his eyes.

Then he stood up. "I'm going to the bathroom." And he left.

"Is he always like that?" Scott asked, having just met Gregor. In fact, he hadn't known Larry was friends with the guy who'd saved him until that day. He'd asked Larry at lunch if he'd seen the fight, and Larry said that he and Angelina had been best friends with him since the first-grade like it didn't matter. Best friends with probably the best school yard fighter in New York. Maybe the best fighter period. Gregor fought with a dance like energy. Like every hit made him more than happy.

"Not always." Larry said worriedly. "But he's changed."

"Oh," Scott said solemnly. "Puberty?"

"No, idiot." Angelina scolded. "Honestly, we don't know what changed. But something did."

Scott came back to the present, where the rat was still growling in his face. The muscled guy said, "Lapblood, go easy on him. He's new. I will escort him to the baths."

Lapblood grumbled off, muttering about how she never got to kill people on this job, and wished she and Ripred could go back to the Gnawer kingdom to finally rule together again, instead of letting Deadface do it.

"Ripred?" thought Scott, "a king?"

The big guy stuck out his hand. "Hello Overlander. I am Polonius, a bodyguard for Luxa's cousin, Hazard."

"I'm Scott, uh, Radio Shack gift card owner," Scott said, even though it sounded ridiculous.

Polonius bowed. "Come. You must bathe."

Scott felt offended for a moment, then thought better of it. He hadn't put on deodorant, and it probably wasn't smart to mess with a guy with a sword.

"If your Hazard's bodyguard, why are you running around here?" Scott asked when they were walking through the palace.

"Hazard has several bodyguards that switch off duty. I was helping Lapblood guard the halls while I was on break."

"Hazard seems pretty protected."

Polonius looked uncomfortable. He glanced around nervously to make sure no one was listening then he whispered in Scott's ear, "Luxa is basically paranoid. We had an attack recently and several cutters and a few hissers assaulted Hazard. The boy was fine and defended himself fairly well with a poker, but that wasn't good enough for Luxa. Now several guards switch off every few hours."

Scott followed Polonius to two bathrooms in the palace. The place looked like restaurant bathrooms with the long alcoves leading in, but without the doors. Inside, moving water ruled the room. The toilet was moving water powered, and even the sink was an odd mix between a basin of moving water and a water pump.

Scott used the toilet and watched as the waste was instantly carried away. Then he took off his hat and his clothes. It wasn't much. An old shirt that almost didn't really fit anymore, and a pair of torn up jeans his dad wanted to throw away. It was always smart to wear unimportant clothing when going into the field. But the _hat_.It was his was special. His first fedora. His favorite. He turned, addressing Polonius, who stood at the door, back turned.

"Uh, be careful with my hat, please."

Polonius turned around and bowed, "of course." And he took the hat.

Scott nodded, feeling at ease.

So he walked into the bath which was more like a river, with the flowing water and all. Wait until he told the guys about this.

Okay, time for back story.

Scott was in a school club devoted to the an underground world. They figured if there are giant caverns that support the life of small animals maybe humungous ones could support larger life forms. And now here he was. The underground world he'd been searching for was here.

He also snickered at Gregor's gullibility. Yeah, sure, gotinformation from Lizzie. He had known about the laundry room vent for a week. He had decided not to take action until good reason. His surveillance in the lobby was good enough for him. He had lied about previous knowledge, as to not let any potential enemies know how resourceful he was. If it was a conspiracy, he wanted them to think he was a hopeless moron.

"Wow, Nancy was right. I watch _way _to much TV." Scott thought.

You get the point. Swarm of some smart rats, targeting Gregor and his family. So what? Not good enough for him. Rat attacks happen every day. And rats are smart creatures, very smart. But when Scott saw the pale guy from the alley, he knew something was up. His detective sense screamed CONSPIRACY in sirens and neon lights.

So Scott grabbed the essentials. He did one last study on how pressure from being underground could kill him, grabbed a flashlight, and he even took some sticky gloves his uncle had sent from Costa Rica. He said spies use them. Scott hadn't gone two feet down the shaft before the gloves gave out and he fell. He just kept going down, down, down really fast. Eventually, he knew he was going to die and decided to resort to eating a Snickers... when suddenly half way down a very strange mist started up, and weirdly enough it slowed his fall enough to make it down alive. According to his watch it had been exactly four minutes and forty-seven seconds from when the mist started, to when he landed. He took a few steps, turned and then had screamed in terror.

A giant lizard had been staring into his face, with a look of pure hate. He had run, but had been shaking so much his legs just turned to jelly. Then the thing caught him. He was so freaking scared. He had spent years trying to prepare for situations similar to this and here he was, collapsing under pressure. Flaws. Scott hated them.

Then the humans came.

They came on giant bats and were whooping, carrying swords and firing flaming arrows. They quickly slaughtered the lizard and carried Scott off. Then he ended up in the single strangest city ever. And that was coming from a kid that grew up in a small town in New Mexico, with a population of eight-hundred and forty-nine, and where a lot of houses were made from pueblo bricks and wood, and moved to New York City where it was steel and iron and glass made and there were too many people to count. The only similarity: they were both in America.

Deeper back story? Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you.

Scott's mom was a car mechanic, who was gone all day from six a.m. to eleven p.m. His father had no job, but liked to beg his mom for cash, and then go and get drunk. He would come home, then pick on Scott a little bit. That's why Scott had asked Larry to have the sleepover for his birthday at his place, so his father wouldn't do something stupid. Scott had been okay in New Mexico. The beer wasn't too strong in his old town, and Scott spent many days running a One-man Private Investigator Business that everything from stolen watches, to conspiracies that got shootouts involved (not that he ever got involved in those, he gave them to the police). It had been great, and Scott had discovered his dream. Detective work.

But then his mom got a job, and moved the family from New Mexico to New York. The beer was stronger, so Scott's dad got more drunk. And any detectives he e-mailed with a theory told him to buzz off. Scott's family had more nice things because of his mom's job, like i-pads and laptops and Radio Shack gadgets, but Scott wasn't truly happy. It especially hurt to think that his mom wouldn't notice his absence because of her busy schedule (and because his dad would explain he was out at the library or asleep or something when she did ask), and that his dad wouldn't miss him. His sister Nancy wouldn't care either. All she cared about was Tony, her new boyfriend.

Scott thought about Gregor again. He thought about the day at lunch he'd been thinking about earlier. Did Luxa have something to do with him not dating? Almost definitely. Man he must really be in love with her if he's turning down some of those girls.

"Hello."

Scott jumped, coming back to the present twice in one hour. He turned seeing a small, extremely strange looking little... well, Scott wouldn't call him an underlander. But he wouldn't call him an overlander either. The kid had pale, translucent skin, like the other underlanders, but instead of violet eyes, he had bright green ones you might find find on those lollypops you get at hospitals. Also, instead of silvery-blonde hair, he had jet black curly hair. So back to the subject of what he was. Maybe a hybrid mix of the two? Like, a mixedlander?

Scott thought about saying hello, but all that came out was, "W-what are y-you?"

The boy chuckled, "Ah, I enjoy scaring overlanders. They truly think they have seen it all. Then I come along. I did the same thing to Gregor earlier, except he knows me. Oh yes, and the answer to your question. I am what you would call a halflander. My name is Hazard. Son of Hamnet and Rosie."

"So what makes a halflander?"Scott asked.

"Yes, I figured someone like you would ask. Inquisitive. You seem to analyze everything, recording everything in a notebook in your mind, almost exactly like Uncle York, but perhaps... better. Don't tell Howard I said so. A halflander is the child of both an overlander and an underlander. My father was from Regalia, my mother from New York City."

Scott was taken aback. He was right. The kid read him like an open book. A thought struck Scott, "You speak in past tense. Oh no, they didn't-"

"Yes," Hazard said grimly, "my mother was attacked by poisonous insects in the jungle a several years ago. My father died in a battle against the, ah, ants a year and a half ago. My friend Frill died in the same battle. But the battle had an obvious outcome. It was eight against thousands. The whole thing a misunderstanding... anyway you see!" The boy pointed at him triumphantly. " 'You speak in past tense...' Yes, sir! Analyzer!"

The kid was amazing at reading people. And he noticed every detail.

"How far are you from the throne?"

"I don't like to think about it."

"How far?"

"Five spots. Why?"

"Because you'd make a great king. And if you know straight off that you're five places away, you obviously think about it a lot.

Hazard's green eyes narrowed. "Are we having a battle of wits?"

Scott shrugged. "I believe we are."

Hazard sighed. "Now I feel terrible. Grandfather Vikus always says never to have any sort of battle with an unarmed person."

"Oh, that hurts, Hazard."

"Good, it means I won," Hazard grinned, "oh, I hate to be the barer of bad news, but we burned your clothes."

Scott choked, "What?"

"Yes, unfortunately, these are dark times, and the enemy could attack if they know we have another overlander. Your hat is safe though. But we had to shove it in this old musty chamber for an hour. It should smell more Underland."

Scott breathed deeply, his hat was fine.

Hazard left, but his words rung in Scott's mind, like they were echoes bouncing off the corners of a cavern, except the cavern was his head. This little boy had a bad history. Worse than his.

Either way, Scott liked Hazard. He was clever.

Scott got out, heading over to a towel, he wiped himself off and found a set of smoky blue clothes, made from a weird silk.

He found Hazard waiting outside, who smiled and waved when he saw him. He handed Scott his hat and Scott gladly put it on.

Scott saw Polonius and another soldier down the hall. They must have guard duty.

Hazard noticed Scott staring.

"This is Polonius and Mingon," Hazard said, gesturing to his guards with almost an annoyed scowl. He thought Luxa was paranoid, too.

They headed to lunch and Scott gasped at all the doors and corridors. The palace was a beautiful place, if you ignored the homeless that were hobbling around because of the invasion.

They arrived at the large hall Scott had arrived in. The one without the roof, or High Hall, as the underlanders called it. Scott noticed eight men standing in the corners of the rooms, each holding a halberd and crossbow, the crossbows aimed up. Security. And a lot of it.

They got to a table and Scott saw Mareth, Howard, Ripred, Nathan, Lapblood, Gregor (who looked groggy, like he wanted to sleep or had been just woken up) Vikus, a few bats, and several other underlanders that came in as they did.

Scott failed to note that the others stood by their seats as if waiting for someone to arrive. Scott sat down, just as Luxa walked in. He turned to see eyes boring into his head. Violet, merciless, cold-blooded, eyes. Luxa's.

"Oh, crap," Scott murmured. He stood up, knocking his chair over.

"Gyah!" Scott cursed, "shoot, uh, your majesty, I'm so sorry, I forgot you probably have different customs." His voice squeaked on the last word, seeing Luxa's eyes again. They were the eyes of a demon who was cheated in poker.

Gregor, who was nearby, touched her arm, "Luxa," he said.

She sighed, then regained her composure. "Forgive me. I should have respected your customs as well. Everyone! Go, sit down." She waved them down, as everyone cautiously took a seat, like a nest of vipers would bite them in the gluteus maximus. Then she gave Scott a half smile, and for a second, Scott thought she couldn't be that bad.

Then she said, "Still, though. You would be wise not to do that again."

And Scott despised her again.

But when the food came, Scott's thoughts were interrupted.

There were plates of eyeless fish, sweet potatoes that weren't quite right, bacon wrapped meatloaf, steak, green leafy plants, shrimp, and tiny carrots.

Suddenly, half way through dinner, Hazard said something Scott didn't understand.

"Gregor, what is the rager sensation like?"

Gregor paused. Then he looked at Hazard with a worried, yet all-knowing way.

"Why?" he asked.

"Uh, um, Temp wanted to know," Hazard said.

"Temp?" Scott asked.

"A giant cockroach," Gregor explained.

Scott nodded, grossed out, but unsurprised.

"Temp, though? Why didn't he ask me himself?" Gregor questioned.

"Busy!" Hazard replied quickly, "he's um, entertaining the youngsters with Dulcet and a mouse. Have you met the new nursery mouse? His name is Penta."

"Hmm," Gregor muttered, "very well. It's kind of like... well, at the start, it's random, and it doesn't happen when you want. When you come out of it, you don't know what happened. It feels weird. Then as you get more experienced, you can control it. Summon it. You can see what happens while your in the trance. It starts feeling good, too. Once in the jungle, Luxa says I smiled."

Hazard nodded. "Well that's enough for m- Temp. I hope. I mean- yes, Temp."

Scott knew this kid was holding something back, but he'd heard the term _rager _twice now. What did it mean?

"Whats the rager sensation?" Scott asked.

"A gift that turns you into a killing machine," Nathan said happily.

"Who is a rager?" Scott asked.

"Me," Gregor, Ripred, and Nathan said together.

Hazard opened his mouth, then closed it, as if reconsidering something.

"Who's the best of you?" Scott questioned, ignoring Hazards withdraw.

"Me," each of them said.

Ripred scowled, "I've had years of experience!"

Gregor smirked, "I'm the warrior!"

Ripred snarled, "Pooey, Gregor! I'm your mentor."

Nathan shouted over the din, "I'm totally epic, though!"

Gregor stared at him, "You spent too much time in New York."

The three began arguing.

Scott got tired after a minute, then decided to quote a movie, "Girls, girls, your all pretty, can I go home now?"

"No," Iris said. "It's too dangerous."

Gregor snickered at the quote, "How many times have you seen that?"

"Six times," Scott grinned, giving Gregor a high-five.

"Scott's right," Viking said, but obviously confused by Scott's quote, "let us eat."

They ate for a while, then when Scott was done, he wanted to collapse.

Then Viking said the worst thing ever: "Scott, will you help us with our traps?"

"Traps?" Scott said disappointed, wanting to sleep.

Viking regarded him respectfully, "Sure. Of course you can pass."

"And go to the dungeon," Luxa said darkly.

Viking gave her a hard look, "Absolutely not."

Luxa glared back, "Vikus."

_Vikus _rolled his eyes, "Call me Grandfather."

"Vikus. Be quiet," Luxa fumed.

Since this was going nowhere, Scott decided he should do the traps.

"Okay, fine!" he yelled.

They stared at him, then Vikus rose from his seat and said, "Then come."

Scott followed Vikus through the palace. They came to a section of the castle where there was a large stone door. A slot opened up, revealing a pair of paranoid eyes.

"Whats the password?"

"Melovet? A password? Its just me! You don't need a password."

The violet eyes squinted, then her eyes returned to normal. "You are good. I honestly didn't think you'd get that." Then she opened the door.

"Scott this is Melovet, my sister-in-law. She is the weapons expert of the Regalian army."

"So who's your wife?" Scott asked Vikus. Both Vikus and Melovet tensed, and Scott knew it didn't take a detective to know he'd hit a sore spot.

"Dead," they both said, looking down.

"Oh, ah, what happened?" Scott asked.

Vikus' lips pursed, "Last year in the War of Time, she died when the rats attacked. She was trying to convince the, er, you say, oh yes, _spiders_, to join our cause."

"Were the spiders not involved 'till then?" Scott asked.

"No. They were neutral. They helped both sides. Then when Solovet and Ajax died, maybe... maybe they thought better," Melovet said, like maybe she believed if the spiders had just joined with them in the first place, Solovet wouldn't be gone.

"Wish I could have met her," Scott tried.

Vikus waved his hand, "Don't worry, she went out the way she always wanted to: a sword in her hand and a fight in her heart."

They were silent for a moment, then Melovet said, "So, the traps are here." She led them to the traps. Scott saw bear trap looking contraptions, nets, jars of glue, and other things.

Vikus handed him a sleigh of traps. Them he handed him a map with lots of colors. On the side, a key was set up.

He set off to another area on the castle. He passed various refugees from the onslaught from outside. Some gasped at his presence.

"Is it him?" An old man asked another old man.

"No buffoon!" the other said. "The Warrior doesn't wear hats."

"Styles change like the rising sun," an old woman said nodding.

"How would you know Beth? You've never seen it!" said the first man.

"I have," said Beth, "I saw it when I was but a boy."

"Your a woman!" said the second man.

"Am not!" Beth cried.

"Catatonic," accused the first guy.

"Be quiet Lawrence!"

"No." Said the first guy in an exasperated tone. "He's Lawrence!" he said gesturing to the second guy. "My name is Osrick."

The woman looked at Lawrence. "Gnawer! Gnawer!" She ran to Scott. "Save me, Gregory!"

"I'm not a gnawer!" Lawrence said impatiently, like he said this every day. "And the Warrior's name is Gregor!"

Scott stopped. "What?"

Lawrence looked annoyed. "I said the Warrior's name is Gregor."

"Tell me about this Warrior thing," Scott said.

The first man, Osrick snorted. "For the past few years the Warrior has come from the Overland to save us from the gnawers."

"What are gnawers?" Scott asked.

"What do you care? You probably are an ignorant bumbalo!" Osrick said.

Scott dragged his sled off in annoyance. He didn't know what a bumbalo was, but it sounded mean. He arrived at a guarded corridor. The two armored guards let him through, because he said he was setting traps in case they were attacked.

He pulled out a jar of glue and a long brush and spread it outside a set off doors. The corridor seemed empty. He ran to a guard. "Why are we putting traps in abandoned corridors?"

The guard grunted then chuckled. "If the enemy attacks, they'll tear up anything they can find. They'll come through a corridor, abandoned or not. We won't put them in crowded areas, or else people will get hurt by walking across the hall. So we are uping security in the crowded areas."

"Ah, okay." Scott said, returning to work. He spread out the glue, then put a few bear trap things in the shadows or natural blind spots in the corridor.

It was a few hours later when Scott was headed through a populated corridor in order to get to a deserted one, a girl burst out of a room, gasping for breath.

Scott jumped at the sight of her. She was weak and frail looking, with paler than underlander skin. She looked at him with wild eyes.

"Come here," she murmured.

"Excuse me?" Scott asked.

"Come with me," she insisted.

Scott followed her into her room. Inside there was a large mirror, a bed, several portraits of people that looked seventeenth-century, and finally a large bookcase full of books. The girl grabbed the mirror by the edge, and before Scott realized what she was doing, she threw it on the ground, throwing glass shards everywhere.

"Woah!" Scott yelled, grabbing her arm and leading her away from the shards. Then something caught his eye.

In black ink, writing was scrawled on the board where the mirror had covered it.

It read:

_Beware to those who come and come_

_ Who attack with a grim stringed hum_

_You will watch will chortled glee _

_ You will rise with victory._

_But the white headed will bring forth_

_ An age of rebels from beyond the north _

_ He will attack with one from the past_

_ The armies of hatred cannot last._

_ Even though the allies' nest will be gone_

_ There shall a mighty one _

_ They will rally the enemy _

_ To lay waste to the city. _

_From the ash the warrior will rise_

_ Casting hatred from his eyes_

_ The person in his heart will be reaped _

_He will slaughter the ones that creeped._

"What?" Scott said.

"The legendary 'Lost Prophecy' of Bartholomew of Sandwich," the girl said with a smirk.

"My cousins name is Bartholomew." Scott said unconsciously.

"Good name," the girl replied.

"I call him Barf," Scott replied, not taking his eyes off the prophecy.

"Barf?" The girl asked timidly.

"Uh, puke? Throw up? Tossed cookies?" Scott asked, but not seeing a result, "uh, vomit?"

"Ah, yes," she replied understanding, "why call him that?"

"I don't really like him." Scott explained. "He gets on my nerves."

The girl nodded.

Three guards burst into the room. One pointed a halberd at Scott's throat, another moved to point a crossbow at him. One with a longsword stepped between him and the girl.

"Lady Nerissa," said the sword one. "We heard a crash, are you okay?"

"Fine," she replied.

"We've heard reports from Hazard of aspy," he looked pointedly at Scott. What? Like he was a spy? He hadn't been here four hours, and people thought he was evil! Come on! Get a clue!

"Then you well know there was a spy before the White-Headed came." Nerissa replied.

"White-Headed?" The guard snorted.

Nerissa gestured to the writing on the mirror.

The guard read it. His eyes widened, and he spoke to halberd. "Pick up the mirror. Take it to the Council Room." He spoke to crossbow. "Get the council and the importants." They ran off. The guard looked at Scott, then Nerissa. "Come with me."

It was half an hour later, when he was seated at a table with a dozen old guys, Vikus, Gregor, Luxa, Ripred, Lapblood, a couple bats, Nerissa and Nathan. They sat, discussing things Scott didn't know about, but he caught words like nest, queen, quest, and hat.

Then they spoke to Scott. An old guy said. "Scott the Overlander. You have fallen to us in a time of need. A war is brewing. But the prophecy says nothing about a quest. We need you to fight. Ripred has contacted the diggers, and they are joining our side. They will help drive out the enemy long enough to train you in the arena. You are the White-Headed. Scott, do you except?"

"Uh, sure, I guess." Scott said, feeling exhausted. Then he was led into a dark room, where he fell asleep.

** Well I hope you enjoyed it. The Lost Prophecy. It was good wasn't it? Leave a review, and in it I want you to guess what the "age of rebels from beyond the north is" I will give an award to whoever gets it right. Also, in the next several chapters, the spies will be hunted. If you can reveal the two spies, you will win a reward. Leave reviews and win! **

** P.S. Sorry the last two chapters took so long. I've been working on Percy Jackson, Fablehaven, Leven Thumps, Kane Chronicles, and Hunger Games FanFictions. Soon you'll be able to enjoy those, too. So bare with me, and I'll have more stories.**

** Hats off to you guys!**

** -FedoraFan.**


	7. Nightly Excursion with creepy voices

**I apologize. I have no excuse for my absence. Its been nearly a year, and I have been thinking about you guys and this story, and THE 2,688 VIEWS ON IT. Honestly, its that last bit there that got me out of my Poke`fic and onto this. So without further adieu:**

** The long awaited Chapter 7.**

The spy rushed down the abandoned but heavily trapped hall of the Palace. He wasn't seen, wasn't noticed, and wasn't suspected. He stepped over the most clever traps with ease. He stepped over a trip wire made of nearly invisible spinner silk which would have sent him crashing into a nest of bells. These Regalians did nothing half way. And being one himself, neither did he. If the information was to get to his boss, this had to go down right.

"No loose ends, witnesses, or chases. If you are seen, kill them. If you lead them on a chase, they will drive you out onto the street. After that, I can't guarantee my insect associates will spare you. For them, humans are humans. They are not as wise as hissers; they don't listen to reason."

As he crept down the hall, a guard stepped in his way. The spy nearly jumped before he realized the guards back was turned. The teenager reached into his boot, silently drawing the knife in it. He somersaulted into the shadows, being careful not to stab himself. He observed the middle-aged soldier, who drew a bottle from his pocket and took a swig from it. The spy rolled his eyes. This idiot was leaving civilians unguarded and in danger so he could get a drink. Not that the spy cared. If he did his job, they would be dead in a week. He looked back at the guard.

His mind calculated the threat. "Age: maybe 32. Height: about 6'0''. Weight: around 178; very lean. Weapons: One sword, bow, small quiver, fifteen arrows, one visible dagger, light shield. Armor: Basic chain mail, gauntlet for sword arm, leather pants, helmet. Foot soldier, basic skills in archery, or he would have more arrows. Decent swordsman; has a gauntlet. Intelligence: not high, considering the alcoholic drink. Best approach is quick and quiet. Any wasted time will cause commotion. From behind, slit the throat, drag into the bathroom.

A child's voice rang through the hall, yelling: "Hi!"

The spy whipped around in his crouched position and stumbled. He saw a two year-old refugee child in the hall, followed by a guard and the child's mother, who seemed to be after the run-away. The three saw him holding the knife.

"What are you doing out at this time?" the guard roared, drawing his sword. The drinking guard turned to see him as well. In a few short seconds, he had an arrow pointed at his back, and four guards joining the one with the mother and the child. Two held halberds, one a spear, one had two swords, and the last had war hammer and a shield. All five had at least two more weapons on them.

"Best way out..." in three seconds, the spy had the best way through of the situation. He stood up slowly and dropped the knife. The five soldiers cornered him slowly. He heard footsteps coming down the hall. He had to be gone quickly. He did a back flip in mid-air, landing on the guard with the bow and snapping his neck. He grabbed the man's dagger and threw it at the lead guard with the two swords. It hit him in the neck above the sternum and he fell onto his comrade, who threw his spear. The spy ducked and caught it in the air. He jumped forward, grabbed his knife off the ground, sprang into the air and kicked the guard in the face. He slit his throat quickly and quietly. Turning, he impaled a halberd guard who had jumped forward. He threw his knife at the last guard, who was struck in the eye. As he cried out in pain, the spy grabbed a fallen man's sword and stabbed the blinded shoulder between the ribs. The guard fell onto an elaborate trap that crushed him. As the last guard was about to strike him down, he turned and kicked him the groin. The guard fell over and the spy stepped on his throat.

"Bloody rager!" the guard grunted. "You will burn!"

"Ah..." the spy laughed. "A firm believer in the afterlife, aren't we? Since you are about to die, I'll tell you this: I'm no rager. I'm just intelligent, which is hard to come by nowadays."

The man grunted between choked coughs. "No rager. You will literally burn."

And with his huge brutish arms, the guard through him into the wall, right where a torch was. Before his clothes could ignite, he stamped out the flame on his clothes and threw the torch at a puddle of slippery oil meant to the make invaders fall over upon entrance to the hall. He stepped back to the guard. "You know what? I'll let you live."

"Really?"

"No." and he killed him with the spear.

Finally he turned to the toddler and mother. He picked up a sword.

"There will be no-" he saw the mothers belly. She was pregnant. "-witnesses."

The masked spy glanced up at the ceiling. If his own lover hadn't been with child herself-

He glanced at the pale mother and crying child. He walked forward slowly, and leaned towards her. He slowly whispered in her ear.

"I was never here. Understand?"

She nodded vigorously. "Now into the bathroom. Hurry!"

The mother scooped up her child and ran into the bathroom. The spy looked around.

"Best way out..."

Eight guards rushed into the flaming hallway. From the other side of the flame, eleven other guards poured bucket-fulls of water on the fire. When they finished, they joined with the other eight around the bodies. Perdita came into the hall, pushing them out of the way.

"What is the problem?" she asked irritably. She saw the six fallen guards on the ground. "Oh my... what in the name of Sandwich happened here?"

"We have no idea ma'am." the leader replied. Another guard came out of the bathroom with the mother and child.

The woman gasped. "I was just..." she gestured to the boy. "He doesn't like bottles."

Perdita nodded. "Did you hear anything?"

"No ma'am."

Perdita nodded again, then turned to a soldier. "I don't believe her. Take her into custody. Queen Luxa can question her tomorrow."

The mother sputtered. "No... we didn't see anything-"

"Mommy there he is!" the two year-old screamed, pointing at the ceiling. Before the soldiers could follow his finger, the spy had disappeared.

The spy met his boss on the crystal beach. The sand was still scorched from the Warrior's first battle, but the crystals still shown brightly in the torch-light. The spy walked around for a while before a high, cold, and calculating voice cut through the air like a butcher's knife.

"At last, you arrive. Were you seen?"

The spy slowly walked towards the voice. "Yes, but I-"

A new, thunderous voice roared from an opposite part of the cave. "He was seen! He let them see him! Everything could go wrong! This is why we shouldn't trust humans! If we are to strike from the inside of Regalia, we cannot leave room for error!"

The spy waited for him to finish before speaking. "Yes, but they aren't alive to tell the tale."

The cold voice spoke again. "What are the recent developments in Regalia?"

"New alliances have been-"

"We are aware." the cold voice interrupted. "_In _Regalia."

The spy gave them basic information on ways into the castle, biding his time before he told them. He mentioned the new Overlander, the return of Nathan, and other news, before the booming voice spoke again.

"You hold something back," he said, "what is it?"

The spy breathed deep. "The Warrior has returned."

The cold voice shrieked. "What? Does a prophecy follow him?"

"Not just him. The other Overlander as well."

"Did you get a copy?" asked the deep voice.

"No, sir. They keep it under lock and key. There was no way. But it mentions a Regalian rebellion."

"Do you know the exact words?"

"'An age of rebels from beyond the north.'" the spy reported.

All was silent.

"Never." the cold voice said at last.

"This cannot happen. What else did it say?" demanded the deep voice. "What does it have to do with the other Overlander?"

"It dictates that the other Overlander; 'The White-Headed' will lead the rebels into battle with the cutter nest after the fall of Regalia. He will also be aided by the Warrior, who will lose someone close to his heart."

The deep voice spoke to the cold one. "If those barbarians come out of hiding and interfere, this could be the end for us all."

"Then we must send an army to destroy them!"

"We have never been able to find them! Let alone defeat them in combat! We have no hope!"

The spy cut in. "Hold on! The prophecy can only be fulfilled if he lives through the full invasion. Let me do what humans do best: Kill."

"If you fail..." the cold voice began.

"Oh, please Master. Give me the benefit of the doubt." the spy retorted. "You do your job, and I'll do mine."

And with that, the spy set off back to his boat.

**And we're back. Later chapters might give you a clue to who this spy is. If any of you thought the spy was a woman (BLURPENSKIRF) you were wrong. Sorry for this violent return. I'll update soon. And I promise this time. This time I won't spend six months to edit a single chapter. Yeah. That was a mistake.**

** Hats off to you!**

** -FedoraFan**


	8. Scott Holmes Strikes Back

** Hey! How is it going! I'm trying to get to get to Chapter 10 before the seventeenth (the two year anniversary, which is kind of sad really...)**

** I own nothing but this plot line!**

Gregor stood by Scott, who slept in his bed.

He sighed. "I am really going to enjoy this." he lifted the bucket of water in his hand and dumped it on the blonde boy. Scott woke up quickly, gasping for breath.

"What- what the heck? What was that for?" he fumed.

Gregor raised his eyebrows. He wore smoky gray clothes and boots made of some odd material. When he had asked, Hazard had joked about fermented cheese, but Gregor assumed he was kidding. Assumed.

"Breakfast."

Scott quickly changed into dry clothes and followed Gregor through the halls. The arrived in the High Hall and stood waiting. Heaps of smoked meat, vegetables, fruit, and milk covered the table, but Gregor's mind was on the girl who had just walked in.

Luxa was in training clothes; shirt, loose but short skirt, and leggings. She wore her golden band on her short hair, which was ragged and unwashed. She was slightly slumped over, and her eyes had dark circles under them, but in Gregor's mind, she was just as beautiful as she always was.

She sat down next to Gregor, and they all took a seat.

He looked at the dark circles under her eyes. "Something wrong?"

"Spent all morning questioning a young mother about the murders last night." she muttered. "Feel more tired than hungry. I wonder if I'm allowed to swap dining time for sleep time..."

"What murders?" he whispered back.

She glanced at him. "Tell you later."

They quickly ate their food and stood up, right around the time everyone else was done. Well, all except Scott. As they filed out, Gregor and Luxa waved for him to follow.

"What?" he asked through a mouthful of food. He was wearing Underland clothes mixed in with his white fedora.

"Training!" Gregor yelled back. "And I suggest you leave your hat!" He and Luxa walked through a passage that led to the recently cleared out arena. Soldiers on fliers were keeping invaders at bay, so things in the city were quiet. A few hissers still hid in collapsed houses, waiting to pick off unsuspecting soldiers when they passed by, but other than that, things were on the down low.

The training instructor today was Mareth. He was energetically walking them through basic exercises. Push-ups, sit-ups, running, etc. They even had a climbing wall built on the side of the wall of the arena.

When the time came to get on bats, Gregor nearly called for Ares before he realized. He closed his eyes. "He's not here. He never... he never will be." he thought. When he opened his eyes, Theseus stood there. He put down his wing, and Gregor climbed on.

"Thanks." he said.

Theseus shrugged. "No problem, Warrior."

"Call me Gregor."

"Yes, Gregor."

They took off, soaring high into the air. They spiraled downwards to join the rest of the humans on fliers, when Mareth flew up to him.

"What's up?"

Mareth looked at him, puzzled. "Us."

"No... never mind. What do you need?"

"Can Scott ride with you? He's never been on a flier before."

Human and flier nodded and touched down next to Scott. Scott gingerly climbed on.

Gregor leaned forward and whispered. "Go fast." Theseus nodded.

Scott, from the back, nervously said, "Wait, what did you- SAY?!" before he could get that last word in, Theseus took off, flying at high speeds. Once he was with the other bats, he rode in circles. He stopped and looked back at the two boys. Gregor was laughing in joy and excitement, while Scott was about to faint. The other bats flew over to watch the spectacle of an Overlander's first flight.

"Get me down!" Scott roared. "I do not trust this thing!"

Everyone was offended. "Thing?" Luxa asked. "Theseus is a _he_." she looked at Theseus. "Do it." Everyone laughed.

Theseus quickly turned upside down in the air. Gregor quickly fell off, laughing the whole way. Scott tried to hold on, but failed, falling.

"Gregor, if we live, I will kill you and your bat!" Scott yelled as they fell. "But that's just it isn't it? We're going to-"

Gregor laughed as he turned around, looking at Scott on Theseus' back. "-die."

"You see Scott, the bats don't let you die." Actually, he could think of one time, but he wasn't going to bring that up here. Especially in front of Luxa.

"So do you trust 'that thing' now?" one of the Underlanders yelled.

Scott nodded vigorously.

Mareth nodded impatiently, and another bat flew up. "Scott, get on that one!"

"How?"

"Jump!" Luxa shouted. Scott unsteadily stood up, then leaped over to the other bat. He almost slipped, but grabbed onto her fur. He quickly tightened his legs to her sides, and grabbed her fur in his hands, causing the flier to wince. They all turned their attention to Mareth.

"Everyone have a sword?" he asked. They all nodded. Gregor had picked a big, well balanced sword, as close to Sandwich's as he could get. Luxa had picked her usual bendy and curved sword that went well with her acrobatics. Scott had tested some swords with Mareth. None had been exactly right, but he had finally chosen a light and short one that made a swish when sliced through the air.

Mareth pointed at some polls that held chained up cow carcasses. "Fly down, slash the carcass, fly off. Three to a cow. Go."

Gregor, Luxa, and a boy named Mason ended up at a carcass together. Scott had been about to join the pair when Mason had flown up. Scott ended up with two big brawny boys.

"Luxa, how are things with you and the Warrior?" he asked cockily.

"Well. As long as he is breathing they will be." she said coldly.

Mason shrugged. "Easy remedy." she glared at him. "I'm jesting! But seriously, no chance you'll come to me?"

"Only if the Overland crumbles and falls onto the Underland."

"So, there is a chance?" Luxa rolled her eyes.

The three practiced taking hits at the cow. Every time Luxa flew down to hit it, Gregor and Mason glared at each other. Gregor would never admit it, but Mason was good. He could stab it in a flash and be back up before you could blink twice. He could stab the carcass anywhere. Between the ribs, in the head, the stomach, kidneys (both of them), and even slice off the foot, which was bound to the body by a chain. Everything he did, Gregor tried to upstage. Gregor's final act was stabbing through the heart and then ripping it out, still on his blade. Then Mareth called them over for the next exercise. Gregor winked at Mason and slashed the chain as hard as he could. The cow fell to the ground in a heap. Then he and Theseus darted over to Mareth and Gregor hopped off, ready for the next one.

"Bring in the cannons!" Mareth ordered.

Gregor looked at Luxa and Scott. "I love this part."

"Of course you do." Luxa laughed.

Scott looked confused. "Why, what happens next? We shoot off cannons?"

Gregor grinned broader. "Nope! Much better."

They all lined up, ready for blood balls. The first girl hit four. The next boy hit seven. The next one hit six. And so it went on.

"Is it real blood?" Scott asked.

"No. Of course not." Luxa explained. "Its just a blood-like substance."

Scott nodded nervously.

Gregor looked at him and felt bad. They'd been shunning and laughing at him all day. Poor guy.

"Look, Scott, I'll help you. There are fifteen balls, five balls for each cannon. If you hit seven or above, you're pretty good. If you hit fifteen, your amazing."

"Do you know anyone who's hit all fifteen?"

Gregor gave him a half-smile. "Me."

"How long did it take you?"

Gregor shrugged. "First try."

"Oh, right. The rager thing?"

"Exactly! Now you're catching on."

As they continued to watch, Mason and his entourage turned to talk- or annoy- them.

Mason smirked. "So Gregor, what's your record?"

"I don't have one. I hit the same amount every time."

"What's that?"

Luxa rolled her eyes. "You'll see."

As the line moved on, Scott talked to Gregor. "So that guy hit eleven... that's good right?"

"Right. How about that guy?"

"He hit eight... so good, but not great?"

"Perfect. You catch on quick."

Finally the line moved on to Mason and his friends. Mason hit twelve. His friend Jeremiah hit six. And finally Zachary hit nine.

Scott leaned up next to Gregor. "Okay, so Mason is really good, but his friends kinda suck?"

Gregor nodded. "Alright man. Your turn." Scott stepped forward, opening a stance Mareth and Gregor had taught him. The balls started to fly, and Scott did what Luxa had shown him in line. Take one on at a time. He did well enough, hitting five. When he came back, Gregor flashed a thumbs up. The Warrior looked at Luxa.

"Ladies first." she stepped forward, and the blood balls began to fly. She swiped and slashed in many directions before ending up hitting ten. Mareth nodded. "Good improvement."

Finally, Gregor's turn. He walked forward, unsheathing his sword. "Ready?" Mareth called.

"Yes, sir!"

The blood balls started to fly. Gregor mind zeroed in on them. It wasn't as brutal as his first time. He could hear the crowd chattering. But he could still nullify it. The rager sensation hummed happily. It wasn't used much anymore, and now it was being turned on more and more often.

Big red spot. Bam. Oh another one. Gone. Two in a row. One big swipe. On and on it went, until his mental count hit fifteen. The rager sensation switched off. Fifteen broken blood balls surrounded him. He bowed to everyone else, and joined Luxa and Scott in Perdita's crowd. Perdita was pairing people up to duel. Of course, it would be safe. Swords would be sheathed. Regalia couldn't afford to lose another man.

"Okay everyone. Don't push it. I had a rough night." she ordered. "Okay how about... Mason and Harriet. Ivan and Garrison. Luxa and Zachary." and she continued pairing people up. As new people came in, she put them together as well. Finally, only Gregor remained.

"Perdita, what about me?" he asked.

"You're with me Overlander." she stepped forward, drawing her long, dangerously sharp cutlass looking blade. He drew his own sword. They put on sparring sheaths and it began.

"So." she asked as their swords clashed a few times. "How is the Overland?"

He blocked her thrust. "Fine. It's Winter there."

She swiped at his legs. "What is that?"

He jumped over her sword and went for her neck. "A time when the Earth is far from the sun, so it gets colder. Where I live, every time this happens, it snows."

She blocked his stroke and shoved his sword away. Gregor grinned. A real challenge. He knew why they were paired up. Perdita was the only one who could match his fifteen hits on the blood ball exercise.

"I've read about snow in a book from the museum. Ice falling from the sky?"

Gregor shook his head. "No, we call ice from the sky hail. Snow is like, really soft, small ice." He jumped in the air, sword raised above his head. She went to stab him, and he swung his sword around, knocking hers out of her hand. He landed on his feet, crouched down. He kicked out his leg, knocking her over. He bolted up, pointing sword at her throat.

"I win." he moved his sword away and helped her up. They began to watch others battle. Luxa and Zachary was fascinating. She jumped into the air and did a flip, but he jumped up too and hit her on the back with the flat of his blade, sending her to the ground. She rolled across the ground and propped her head up, looking at him. The sixteen year-old charged at her and she slid under his legs. As he stumbled to turn around, she jumped up and kicked him in the spine. He fell over and she pointed her sword at his back.

Perdita nudged him. "Don't look at her like that in public." she teased.

Gregor looked away, turning to Mason and a short, slender girl named Harriet. They clashed back and forth until Mason blocked a thrust and poked her in the ribs with his sheathed blade. Then he kicked her away and she rolled across the ground.

Then they went to Scott and Mareth, who were practicing a few moves.

"I just don't like swords." Scott told the man with the prosthetic leg. "Could we maybe try out some other weapons?"

Mareth nodded. "Meet me afterwords. We'll try out some other things. Spears, war hammers, maybe some axes. Ready to start?"

"Yeah." Scott replied.

"Okay, I'll go easy on you."

"No." Scott replied after a moment. Mareth looked confused, so Scott explained. "Will those things go easy on me in a real battle? I want to know how good I have to get."

Mareth shrugged. "Fair enough. Go!" he swung his sword and Scott blocked, barely holding on to the hilt. He swung at Mareth's head, but the soldier ducked around it and poked Scott on the chest. He nodded, accepting his level of skill.

Mareth and Perdita dismissed everyone who was done and went to oversee the last few battles.

Luxa and Gregor decided to steal away to an abandoned hallway. He leaned forward and kissed her. She kissed him back for a few moments, before pulling away.

"You asked about the murders last night?"

Gregor nodded, slightly upset they weren't kissing anymore. "Oh yeah, what happened... uh, with the murders?"

"Someone last night brutally murdered six guards. We don't know why, we don't know what he was doing, all we know is that he killed them in horrible ways. We couldn't get a thing out of the only witness."

"The young mother?"

"Precisely."

Gregor thought about it. "I think I know someone who can help, but you won't like it..."

They found Scott in the arena, testing out bows with Mareth. He wasn't doing very well, missing the target nine times out of ten.

Queen Luxa put her official face on. "Scott the Overlander is required for our investigation regarding last night's murder."

Scott looked genuinely amazed. "Me? Really?"

"Yes." Luxa replied.

Scott turned to Mareth. "I'm sorry Mareth, but my services are required." he had a fire in his eyes unlike one they had ever seen. He bounced on the balls of his feet excitedly.

"Let's go!"

As they approached the bodies, Scott turned to Gregor and Luxa. "I must warn you, it's been a while since I've worked on a murder."

Gregor was taken aback. "You've actually _worked _on an _actual _murder?"

"Back in New Mexico, the detective in my town did some unofficial work with me. He taught me to observe and conclude."

"Do your best." Luxa encouraged. "Don't let me down."

Scott stepped up to the bodies, pulling out some Latex gloves and putting them on. Gregor stared at him. "What? Found them in the Museum."

"You've been?"

"Of course I have. Cool stuff. Shot gun. Quiver of arrows. A tool-kit. Lot of missing pieces to jewelry boxes though. I also picked up a note pad and a ballpoint pen."

Gregor sheepishly looked at the ceiling as Scott set to work. He approached a man with a broken neck and gingerly looked him over. He shuddered.

"Never touched one before." he sniffed a couple times and crinkled his nose. He leaned down, next to the man's mouth. He sniffed a few times. He looked up. "He was drunk when he died."

"What does that mean?" Luxa asked.

"No clue." he looked around. "The fire over there was set with the missing torch from that torch-holder thingy..."

"Sconce?" Gregor supplied.

"I don't know. Anyway, the man in the big bear-trap was still alive until after it closed."

"How can you tell?"

"Most of his blood is on it." he walked around the enclosed area, getting more and more frustrated. "I can figure out everything that doesn't matter, but I can't figure out who did it? I'm a failure!"

He walked over to a body with a dagger in the throat. "Wait. That gives me an idea. Luxa, can you call in Miravet?"

Twenty minutes later, Miravet was in the hallway with Scott, pulling weapons out of bodies and sheaths and sorting them so he could work his magic.

"Tell me Miravet, you are the supplier for weapons and armor for every Regalian soldier?"

"Right."

"Miravet, do you remember that sword there?"

She stared at it. "Yes. I gave it to him." she pointed to a fallen body.

"How about that dagger?"

She pointed to the fallen drunk.

"What about that one?"

The old woman stared at it for several moments before shaking her head. "Never seen it before now. Not standard issue."

Scott grinned, picking it up. He handed it to Luxa. "That is your killer's weapon."

She stared at him. "How do you know?"

"I figured, if someone were to sneak around in the middle of the night, would they carry much more than a dagger?"

Luxa shrugged. "Depends. I guess not."

"So I looked at the daggers. Only a few have blood on them. Out of those, this is the only one that looks different. And, Miravet confirmed it. Not standard issue. An heirloom? Present? Who knows? But it's not a soldiers."

Luxa nodded approvingly. "Good, but that doesn't really narrow it down."

Scott nodded. "But don't we have a witness?"

Luxa shook her head. "You'll never get her to talk."

Scott grinned. "Luxa, in the Overland, we have a routine called Good cop-Bad cop. I'll be good cop. And you, will be bad cop."

Gregor grinned at her. "She'll be good at this. First time I ever did something wrong and was interrogated, she slapped me. Right out slapped me."

Scott grinned. "I wish I was there."

Gregor watched Luxa walk into the room, and from there listened through the door. "Maria, my patience is wearing thin. If you weren't pregnant, I would have gotten angry with you earlier today. But I'm done being nice. We have the murder weapon. All we need is who. And you won't tell us. This person was obviously the spy running around and sabotaging us, so tell us- WHO IS IT?"

He heard the young woman yelling in terror. "I can't say. I don't want him to find me."

"Don't worry about him Maria! Worry about me! Right here, right now!"

"I don't- oh no."

"Oh no." Luxa echoed.

Gregor and Scott burst into the room. Luxa looked at them nervously. "Uh, boys. Her water just broke. I think I freaked her out too much."

Scott nodded. "I am so sorry."

Luxa waved her hand. "No matter. Perdita, get help." Perdita, who was overseeing the investigation, ran off as fast as she could.

The woman called Luxa over. "Just tell my boy his new sibling is coming." Luxa nodded and shooed the boys away so she could comfort her until doctors arrived.

Scott pulled Gregor aside. "Gregor. She has a kid, and judging from her age, a young one. Perdita said that the boy was there."

"Yeah," Gregor said. "That's why he's with Dulcet. She was going to comfort him from trauma."

Scott looked at him. "Think we can coax something out of him?"

Gregor sighed. "Maybe... I don't know."

"Please Dulcet. Let me talk to him." Gregor pleaded. "If we catch this killer, we could set the invasion back weeks."

Dulcet looked at him. "Gregor, I... do you promise to be gentle?"

"Promise."

She pointed to a small boy who looked very pale and a little sick.

He smiled at Dulcet. Ever since her lover had been killed by gnawers last year, he'd seen her in a different light.

Gregor walked up to the little boy, who was playing with blocks. "Hey, what's your name?"

"Gwegoee."

Gregor smiled. "Gregory? That's just like my name! My name is Gregor. Hey so I heard about the thing last night." The boy's face darkened.

"My mommy said not to think about it."

"Yeah, my mom would probably say that too. But, Gregory. Can you tell us what he looked like? If you do, we can stop him from doing it to people like your mom. What did he look like?"

"Well... he was really tall."

"Really tall? What else?"

"He had hair like mine, and his eyes were a really dawk puple."

"Really? Can you tell me anything else?"

"He was gonna kill my mommy, but he saw the baby in her tummy, and stopped. He told her he wasn't there, and we went into the bathroom. Later, I saw him hanging from the ceiling. He was really scawy." Gregor looked at the young boy, horrified he'd seen this. It felt like the time Boots had seen him attacking the squid. She'd been mortified.

Gregor looked at Scott. Scott flashed a thumbs-up as he wrote things in his notebook. Gregor turned back to Gregory. "Thanks, Gregory. You're really brave. And your mom wanted me to tell you, your new little brother or sister is coming today."

His eyes brightened. "Rilly?"

"Absolutely." he stood up and walked out, waving as he went. "Enough to go on?"

"Yeah. We're looking for someone who is tall to a two year-old, but not big, so I'm thinking fifteen to nineteen, because you're still kind of skinny. Also, he paused when he was about to kill the mother, and then he didn't. I'm thinking someone he knows is pregnant, and I think he could have gotten her that way. Or maybe he's just not that evil. I mean, who could kill a baby? Even before it's born, it's heartless."

Gregor thought back to the Labyrinth. He hadn't been able to kill the Bane as a baby.

"Also, if he was on the ceiling, I think he has to be good at climbing. But he also has to be good at taking on multiple targets."

"The blood ball test and the climbing wall."

"Right on. And who can we get all this information from...?" Scott began.

"Mareth and Perdita." Gregor supplied. "But do you think he was really on the ceiling?"

"I don't know, I wouldn't doubt it." Scott walked over to Perdita. "We need information on top-placing people for climbing, the blood-balls, and sword fighting."

"Is it relevant?"

"Completely."

"Can I give them to you at dinner?" she asked.

Scott nodded. "Yeah, that would be great."

Gregor turned to him. "What now?"

Scott shrugged. "We can't do anything at the moment. Relax, let loose... I don't know. Have a make-out session with the Queen." he grinned, waiting for Gregor's reaction.

Gregor stared at him. "You better get good with a weapon really soon."

Scott's eyes widened in mock horror. "Alright then. I'll go train with Mareth until dinner."

After lunch, Gregor found himself with nothing to do. Luxa was busy with planning a nursery for the new baby (she felt guilty about accidentally bringing on it's birth), and Perdita insisted he needed a break from training, so Gregor decided to spend the rest of the day visiting friends.

First on his list: Howard.

He found the new doctor washing his hands in the bathroom after a surgery. He was whistling a tune as he placed his hands in the stream of water, scrubbing them. He turned his head and saw Gregor. He quickly wiped them on a towel.

"Gregor! It's great to see you. How are things?"

Gregor nodded. "Great. I figured I'd take a personal day to visit friends."

Howard nodded back. He took a deep breath, then spoke. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, anything." Gregor replied, hoping it wouldn't be about him and Luxa.

"I heard about my mother. Is... is she alright?" the surgeon asked nervously.

Gregor took a deep breath. "She's pretty badly beaten up," he said. Seeing his horrified expression, he quickly added, "but she's under the best medical care in the Fount, courtesy of your father. They say she's going to be okay. Eventually."

Howard nodded. "And how is my father?"

Gregor smiled. "Fine. Really taking his anger out."

That received a laugh.

"And the rest of the family?"

Gregor thought for a moment. "They're alright. Stellovet is fine, I saw her, and I'm told the rest are okay too."

Howard nodded, relieved. "That's great. I'll see you later, I have to go into an operation."

"Didn't you just come out of one?"

Howard gulped. "Well, yes, of course I did. But I'm going into another one." and with that, he walked off very quickly.

Next on the list: Temp.

He didn't know why he wanted to visit the cockroach, he only knew that he wanted to know why he had asked about the rager thing. Finally, he asked a guard, and the man told him that Temp the Crawler hadn't been at the palace for many months.

But then, why had Hazard said he asked? Weird.

Next on the list: Ripred.

Gregor had no idea where to find the rat, but he took a wild guess at the kitchens. He made his way there, and immediately found the big scarred rat sitting lazily by the trash, putting his paw in and taking some scraps of food out, and transferring it to his mouth. Once he saw Gregor he stopped and wiped his face, which now had a huge X on it, and stood up. "To the cave."

"No, Ripred, I..."

"Let's go."

Gregor sighed. "Yes, Ripred."

Three hours later, Gregor knocked on Luxa's door. She opened it. "Gregor! You weren't at dinner? How were the visits?" she looked at his tired face.

"Cut short." he replied yawning.

"Why what happened?" she asked, concerned.

He grunted, cracking his back, which was very sore. "Ah, Ripred's training sessions happened." He yawned, leaning against the wall. "How are you?"

She smiled. "Fine. Hey, I just wanted to ask: we've set up a challenge with the enemy. We need a General..."

Gregor sighed. "I can do it, I guess."

"No, that's not what I mean. We're sending in Perdita, but she usually helps with clearing up the city when I'm busy, so we need someone to lead in the city. All we need to do is finish off the hissers still running around, and people should be able to move back into their homes. I figured you were the perfect man for the job."

Gregor was relieved. "I can do that. Yeah." he looked at her. "I like that."

"What?" she asked, laughing as he stepped closer.

"You calling me a man."

She giggled in a flirtatious way Gregor had only ever expected to hear from teenage girls in the Overland. He leaned forward and pulled her close. Then, he kissed her. It was a great kiss. Like nothing else mattered but that single one. It lasted longer than any of there others. Much longer.

And in that moment, Gregor was certain of one thing. And he was more certain of it than he had ever been about anything else.

Gregor loved Luxa. He loved her more than he had ever loved another human being, and, no matter what his mother said, no matter what lengths she went to, he would not be seperated from her.

Ever again.

**Hey everyone! For whom it may concern: Gregor **_**does **_**make it to his own bed, and he will be alone. I'm not going throw M rated material in here. I'm pretty sure FanFiction banned that a while back.**

** I hope you have some idea who the spy is. Or not. Or maybe you do and you're completely wrong. If you are still in the dark, go back and read the fight in Chapter 7, then read the sparring moments of Chapter 8. Am I totally leading you down the wrong path? Possibly. But it will help in the long run.**

** Also, come Chapter 10, Regalia will reach a full scale invasion, alliances will be tested, people will die... and we'll probably have some Gluxa moments in there too.**

** Keep reading, and enjoy! The age of rebels is coming soon. Hang in there.**

** Hats off to you!**

** -FedoraFan**


	9. A Hazardous Conversation

**Normally I'd say something dumb and tacky at this part but what's the point? Sorry it's such a short chapter, but I really want to get to Chapter 10.**

** I don't own the Underland Chronicles. Just this story.**

Hazard stared at himself in the mirror.

"Could it be?" he asked himself. "Could _I _be, a rager?"

It was a cruel twist of fate. He was never trained for war. He was bred for it. And that was the irony. In the jungle, he'd been taught that killing was a last resort. But if his subconscious got its way, he'd kill and kill and kill. He'd seen people do it.

And that could be him. He glared at the stains on the wall from the cutters he'd killed. They were a brutal reminder of who he could become.

But the worst part... was that he wanted to do it again.

He wanted to prove himself. He understood. He knew why the others had not put him in training. They thought he was fragile. They thought he was weak. But if he could show them! They wouldn't see him as some kid. They'd see him as who he could be. A great warrior. The Halflander Rager. As much as it disgusted him, he liked the sound of it.

Before, he had held on to a piece of hope. Maybe he wasn't a rager. But after Gregor, Nathan, and Ripred had all given accurate descriptions. So he had accepted his fate. In fact, he reveled in it, even though he didn't like it.

Luxa stepped into the room and sat next to him.

"Hazard, how are you feeling?"

He looked at her while she bounced slightly in her seat.

"Happy today?"

She smiled. "Right now yes."

He laughed. "Kissed him again?"

"No... yes. Hazard, when you get older, treat your girl how he treats me." she looked into his eyes, begging for an answer.

Violet and lime green eyes stared down. "Yes, yes, of course I will."

She smiled, lying back onto the bed. "He's perfect. He's so... just Gregor, you know?"

Hazard nodded, not really knowing, but pretending to.

"You know what he told me today?" she asked, seeming really excited.

He looked over at her. "What?"

"He's going to take me up there. He says that I'll be able to see the sun, and eat Overland food, and maybe even see a tree, or a movie. Do you know what a movie is?"

"No."

"He claims it's a moving picture that tells a story. Like a play, but more incredible."

Hazard was amazed. "And he's really going to?"

Luxa nodded, grinning. "I think it's going to great. I can't wait for this war to be over."

A bad feeling struck him. A sense of brooding and mourning, but he didn't mention it.

"Can I go into training?" he suddenly asked.

Luxa stared at him, surprised. "What?"

Hazard stared at her, anger suddenly starting to grow. "Can I train? For war? Like every other kid my age?"

Her mouth opened. "No. No, you're not meant for it."

He felt offended. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Before she could answer, a guard stepped in. "Queen Luxa, Super Ninja Master Scott requires your presence."

"What?"

The guard looked confused. "Is that not his full title?"

"No." Luxa replied with the slightest hint of concern. "Bring him in."

The guard left. "Hazard, we'll continue this later, can you go into the other room?"

Hazard stood and went into the foyer as Scott came in and shut the door. Hazard immediately listened in through the key hole.

Scott sounded victorious. "I narrowed it all down. There are only a few people who could be the spy. I've taken up all the records for climbing and blood balls. But I'm still trying to find out how many have a pregnant girlfriend."

"Can I see the list?" Luxa asked. Before any else happened, a hisser tore down the door. Hazard quickly turned.

The giant lizard hissed loudly, grabbing Hazard by the throat. He grinned as his face turned purple, for the rager sensation had begun, and he was holding his poker. He quickly plunged the sharp metal rod into the hissers throat. It fell to the ground, dropping him. He gasped for breath, glad he had grabbed it so quickly when the thing had come in.

He rapped on the door, calling into them. "The full invasion is starting!" he yelled. He ran into the hall with the poker.

All around him, reptiles and insects ran around, attacking guards and getting caught in traps. It was chaos.

But for Hazard, it was only a chance to prove himself.

With that thought, he attacked a buzzer with his full might, reveling in the glory of battle.

**Sorry for the short chapter. The next one will be longer, and I'll do something I've never done. Alliances will fall, people will die, and there will even be the occasional joke.**


	10. The Fall of Regalia

**Here we go. Chapter 10. This time, I'm going to switch POV. I know. I'm not totally sure how it will go either.**

** Oh, and miah110401, yes, yes we can get back to Hazard being a rager.**

** Also, thanks to Silent Ninja22, I corrected Melovet, in Chapter 8, to Miravet.**

** And now! CHAPTER 10!**

**Perdita**

Perdita stared out over the field. Minutes before any fighting had started, the enemy had disappeared. They were just... gone.

Something was wrong. They needed to get back. It felt to much like a trick.

"Turn around!" she yelled. "Head back to Regalia! Something isn't right!"

The soldiers got on their fliers and flew back to Regalia as fast as they could. The gnawers and nibblers took a few tunnels back, and they hurried.

Because even at this distance, they could smell blood.

**Gregor**

Gregor led a platoon of soldiers through the city. They searched through piles of rubble, looking for hissers. They had only found one, but it was already dead, probably killed by the house it was under collapsing on it.

"Alright guys, take a break." Gregor ordered. His soldiers sat down, taking drinks from a flask and eating bits of cheese. They sharpened swords and polished shields, ready to find a nasty hisser behind every corner. Gregor sat down with them, glad for a break of any sort. He kept thinking he saw dark flashes. Like a tail poking out from a corner, a scuttle from behind, and a low scratch. He stood up. "Something isn't right."

He drew his sword, turning slowly. His group of soldiers slowly got up, ready for the peace and quiet to snap.

A digger crawled through the street.

Everyone breathed. It was just a digger. Diggers were good.

But the hordes of cutters and spinners that poured from the hole were not. All over the street, more holes were dug, and more spinners and more cutters came out.

And they were ready to kill the small-sized group of soldiers.

**Luxa**

Luxa and Scott heard the hiss, and the gurgle of blood. Then Hazard's voice. "The full invasion is starting!" They ran out of the room, seeing a dead hisser on the ground next to the bed, stabbed through the throat. Luxa's insides twisted around. If this had been Hazard...

They ran into the hall, seeing hundreds of cutters and spinners crawling over each other to kill the next enemy. With them were a few dozen hissers, and a good-sized number of buzzers and twisters with them. It was over. Luxa could see that.

The humans had lost.

**Nathan**

Nathan and Howard stood next to each other in the bathroom, washing their hands.

Howard looked at him. "So, how is my sister?"

Nathan grinned. "Annoying."

"Right." he laughed. The two young men walked out into the hallway as a wave of insects, arachnids, and reptiles stormed at them. The guards at the end of the hall ran to back them up. One of them tossed Howard a sword, while Nathan drew both of his. He looked back, counting up the men. Nine. They were dead.

"Howard." Nathan whispered. "Get out of here."

"Why?"

"Because a lot of people are going to die, and you can't be one of them. Get some survivors together and get the Firelands out of here. Perdita should be realizing that there is no challenge by now. Find her, and get some civilians out. Isn't there some secret passage out of the castle?" Howard nodded. "Then go."

Howard nodded and ran out of the hall, just as the enemy descended on them. Nathan hacked and chopped his way through, then took some advice Ripred had once given him, and spun. He spun around and around and around, never stopping, never failing, never ending. He knew the guards with him were dying, but he wasn't, and he knew that as long as he killed some of the invaders, things would be fine. He would die a hero. And that was all he wanted.

**Ripred**

Ripred was taking a nap in the room of an abandoned hallway when he heard the screams and jumped up, running for the door. He burst into the hall, watching opponents fall into traps. A spinner got stuck in glue. A cutter got demolished by a bear-trap. One hisser stepped on some spikes, and another tripped over a trip wire. Ripred was about to engage in battle, when he smelled something.

Cleaning supplies. Nathan!

He turned on his heel and ran into another hall, seeing the teenage rager, spinning around and killing as many creatures as he could. Ripred smiled. Nathan was doing a good job.

But one tornado of death wasn't good enough. Two was. He leaped into the fray, tossing a spinner out of the way. With a space to spin, he did, and together, the two ragers cut off the hallway. The invasion would continue, but they were definitely making a difference.

**Luxa**

Luxa ran into the flier unit. She found Theseus, who was shielding a small child with his wings. She hit him on the head lightly to get his attention, and he turned around.

"Find Gregor."

He nodded, and a guard grabbed the child and ran towards Howard and Perdita. The three ran away, fighting through the enemy.

Aurora flew over to Luxa. "Get on." the golden bat said. Luxa swung her foot over her faithful companions back and drew her sword. "We need to get Scott and Gregor so that they can escape and fulfill the prophecy. Theseus is getting Gregor. Scott is taking a trip to the museum. We need to survive to get out. Who do we need to pick up in the meantime?"

Aurora thought for a second. "Nathan?"

Luxa nodded and the duo took off, attacking buzzers on the way. They flew through hallways, looking for the young rager. Finally, they found him and Ripred sitting in an empty hallway. Nathan was busy throwing up, while Ripred was patting him on the back. He looked up and saw them. "Got dizzy. Tried my spinning technique. No one's coming through here. I think we scared them off." Ripred gestured to the dead bodies.

Luxa nodded. "Come. We need to get a group together. We need to head north and find the age of rebels for Scott and Gregor to lead. We found you two. Who else?"

"Howard? Mareth?" Ripred asked.

"With Perdita and Vikus, getting civilians out through the secret passage. Their fliers are waiting at the Spout." Aurora replied.

Nathan stood shakily. "I'm okay. Let's go find someone else."

The four Underlanders ran (and flew) through the halls, looking for another person.

And then they witnessed something awful.

**Hazard**

Hazard stabbed and slashed with his poker and new dagger that he'd found on the ground. Like everything he did, he'd learned to control the rager sensation quickly. Now there was only one more hisser. He ran up to it, killing it with only a single stab of his trusty poker.

The rager sensation switched off, and Hazard turned to see Luxa, Aurora, Ripred, and Nathan.

They had different reactions.

Luxa: nearly in tears. Hazard assumed these were tears of joy.

Aurora: was looking up at Luxa, realizing what this meant.

Ripred: solemn as ever.

Nathan: "Hey, uh, good job?"

Hazard, very proud of himself, spread his arms proudly. "Do you see? I'm a rager! I can fight. I'm not as weak as you guys thought! I can go into training later, right?" he saw Luxa's tears, and realized something was wrong.

"Hazard, we never thought you were weak." Ripred said slowly.

"There's a spinner over there." Nathan pointed out. "Should I leave the family alone? Yeah, I'll kill it." he deducted for himself, seeing Luxa's expression. He went over to the spinner.

"Then why was I never training with the other kids my age?"

"Because-" Ripred began.

Hazard didn't let him finish. "Why was I always sent into the corner with mice and spiders?"

"Now, you listen-" Ripred pressed.

"Why was I never treated equal? What, am I too delicate to handle war but the five year-olds aren't?" Hazard yelled.

"Hazard!" Ripred tried once again.

"Is it because of my race? Is it that?"

"No!" Ripred tried.

"Maybe it was because my father was a pacifist. Or was it because he was a renegade? I don't know Ripred, you tell me. What was it?"

Ripred had finally had enough. "SHUT IT!" the rat roared. "LISTEN TO ME! You weren't there to see him. Back after the battle with the cutters, we stood around your father as he bled out. And he made us promise you would be anything- renegade, outcast- just not a warrior."

Hazard's knees were shaking. His eyes started to well up. "What?"

"It was his dying wish." Luxa whispered. She hopped off Aurora and hugged her cousin. In moments, Ripred and Aurora had joined her.

"Talk about irony." Nathan spoke from the side as he stabbed the spinner in the face. "One of the only ragers out there can't fight. And your father tried to protect you from being a warrior, but you are one at heart? Isn't it ironic?"

"Yeah," Ripred muttered. "It's like rain on your wedding day."

"What?" Luxa asked.

Ripred shook his head. "Never mind."

**Gregor**

Gregor and his last soldier, a woman called Claire, stood back to back as cutters surrounded them. At this point, it was clear: the diggers had betrayed them, building tunnels under Regalia so that the cutters and spinners could flood the street and take the city. It was all too perfect, because everyone was concentrating an attack on the web above the city.

"We can still make it." Claire said without confidence. "You're a rager. You can't be killed this easily. Right?"

Gregor felt that he shouldn't lie when they were on death's doorstep. "Most people don't know, but every rager has a limit. Ripred cracks at four-hundred to one."

"What's yours?"

"I never figured it out." he muttered. As cutters came closer, he and Claire killed them as best as they could. Claire, along with her sword, had a spear, which was doing well for them. But they couldn't last long.

"Gregor!" a voice from above called. It was Theseus. He swooped down and both Gregor and Claire jumped into the air. Theseus caught both of them on his back and flew towards the palace.

"Why are we going there?" Gregor asked.

"The Queen is getting a group together to escape with you and Scott. We're going to the Uncharted Lands." Theseus replied.

"Um, Theseus?" Claire asked. "How do we get in?" they looked up to see tons of oversized insects, arachnids, and reptiles being lowered from the web into the palace. From a window, more of them were being carried in by a web some spinners had constructed. Theseus flew by it, and Gregor slashed it down with his sword. They flew to a different one.

"Hug me!" Theseus yelled. Gregor and Claire flattened themselves to his back and Theseus tightened his wings to his body and flew through the space.

They flew through the room and into the hall. They soared past enemies, stabbing and slashing on the way there. Finally, they found Luxa, Aurora, Ripred, Nathan, and Hazard running to the Museum.

"Guys, what's up?" he yelled.

"Scott went to pick something up from the Museum. We're going to find him." Luxa called. She looked at Claire. "Who's this?"

"My last soldier." Gregor said as Theseus flew closer to Aurora. They arrived at the Museum.

**Scott**

Scott packed up some things into a pack Polonius had given him. The guard stood at the door, in case a spinner or something came in.

He had basic supplies, a sword, a flashlight, a bag of batteries, a magnifying glass, and a box of Twinkies. He was pretty sure they were still good.

"What else do I need?" he looked around and saw the tool-kit. He had really liked the war hammers. He reached in and grabbed the claw-hammer and the mallet from it, threw them in the pack and walked up to Polonius.

"What are you doing now?" Scott asked. Polonius shrugged. "I guess I'll go with you. You're going to need every man you can get."

They ran out of the Museum, almost immediately seeing Luxa and Hazard on Aurora, Gregor and a female soldier on Theseus, and Ripred and Nathan running on the ground. Scott nodded. "Where do we go now?"

"I don't know. Do we need anyone else?" Gregor asked.

"Everyone else is going to hide away with all the living civilians."

Gregor nodded. "So do we go?"

Everyone agreed. Now they only had one problem: seating arrangements.

**?**

The spy grinned, knowing it was over. Regalia had fallen with little to no effort. Everything was perfect. His masters would be pleased, and they would reward him greatly. He stood in the throne room, looking at some of the surviving soldiers. Several dozen hissers, several hundred spinners, buzzers and cutters, and a few diggers here and there. And even more were out on the street.

"Perfect," he breathed.

A hisser bounded up to him. "Ssssir, the White Headed issss essssscaping."

"What?" he yelled angrily.

Great. He needed a new plan.

**Scott**

They flew out of the High Hall. Nathan, Claire and Polonius on Iris, Ripred sat on Theseus, and Luxa and Hazard flew on Aurora. Finally, Gregor and Scott flew on a gray and black flier named Charon they'd found on the way to get Iris.

Bottom line: they'd gotten away.

Now they just needed to survive the trip, and Scott needed to amass an army without dying. Then he needed to defeat an army that was potentially much bigger than his.

It didn't really give him too much of a moral boost.

**Sorry for the short chapter. I'll have longer ones soon. And guess what? I made it! Ten chapters in two years! I had to edit it though. Still, I did it! With only one minute left!**


	11. Henry Gets his Leg Cut Off

** How much do I suck? A lot. I apologize. It's been almost four months and I really just left you hanging.**

** I have many excuses, most of which include writer's block, but you guys really don't deserve to hear it. What do you deserve to hear? This:**

Part 2 ~ _Beyond the North_

* * *

><p><em> Deep underground, a cave held nearly 1,500 Regalians and 800 fliers. They were survivors, crippled, hungry, and weak, struggling to carry on in the harsh conditions of the cave. In the invasion, about one thousand had been reported dead, and another 500 had failed to escape. They were either captured, or – more likely, they had been killed. A group had escaped, taking various routes out of the city, rendezvousing in a large, uncharted cave infested with Slimers. Among them, was Howard.<em>

* * *

><p>"Howard, we need help over here." the doctor quickly finished bandaging up a man who had been hit in the head and broken his neck during the fight. He put his supplies back in his bag. He looked back at the man.<p>

"Rest. Make sure your neck doesn't move too much, or you could be paralyzed permanently."

The man nodded, looking at Howard glumly. Howard stood up, and a teenage girl came over, sitting at her father's side.

Howard looked over where the call had come from earlier. He quickly walked across the massive sick bay of the camp to where Mariah, another doctor, was sitting next to another man whose leg was twisted around badly. It looked horribly broken and infected, with pus and blood leaking from various stab and scratch sites. The man was grimacing horribly, his breathing short and rapid. Howard glanced at the skin around his leg, it was nearly black. Howard nearly gagged at the site, something that didn't happen often. He looked at the other doctor.

"What happened?" he asked.

The man struggled to speak as he tried to get air in the putrid conditions of the vile-smelling cave. "Cutters got in my house... tried to get out the window... got my leg stuck in the mandibles."

"A soldier tried to cut off the flow of blood to his leg by putting it in a tourniquet. The poison was concentrated in his leg and collapsed his veins and arteries. His leg is nearly dead." the nurse told Howard. "Is there anyway...?"

Howard tried to remember anything from the Overland medical book they had found in the museum that could help, knowing there was no Underland cure for what had happened to this man. No blood was getting in or out, and poison was just killing his leg. The infection could spread if left alone. This man could die.

"Quickly Howard." the woman pressed.

"There is a way to save the man, but not the leg." Howard said hurriedly, worried this would fail. He looked at the man, who had suddenly pushed himself up on his elbows.

"Excuse me?" the man said loudly. He winced and laid down again, gasping for breath. "You better not be thinking what I think you're thinking."

"What are you thinking?" Mariah asked.

"We have to amputate him." Howard explained slowly. He looked back and forth from Mariah to the man.

"Is it necessary?" she asked, with a look of disgust.

"If we don't, he will die, slowly, painfully, and with no hope." Howard shot back. "At least with this he has a chance!"

Mariah held his gaze for a moment before looking away. Howard looked at the man and he looked back up at Howard, his eyes watering.

"I have a better chance this way, correct?" the man choked out.

Howard looked at him sadly, then put on a brave face, trying to remain calm and be a doctor. He nodded, calling over a soldier. He turned back to the man. "Yes, sir. You'll live, and then we'll work out a way to get you a prosthetic." The man sighed, nodding. The soldier approached.

"Yes, doctor?" he asked.

Howard stood up, turning to him. "I'll need a quill, ink, and a sword."

The soldier gave him his sword, still in its scabbard and called over another soldier for a quill and ink. Once Howard got everything, he dipped the quill in the ink, and drew the line that he would need to slice along. Mariah took the man's hand, giving him a piece of stale bread to bite down on.

Howard looked up at the two soldiers. "Go find the soldier that tied that tourniquet and teach him to try other forms of treatment next time."

He pulled the sword from the scabbard, raising it. Before he could swing he heard Mariah ask the man's name.

"H-H- Henry." the man said between the bread.

"Henry?" Howard asked, pausing.

"Yes, doctor." he muttered, looking at the sword.

"Oh," Howard said, "then you should probably never meet my cousin."

And with that, he swung the sword.

**Okay. Yeah. Good old Howard. Now, to business.**

** I sincerely apologize. For everything. And I realized... I have been writing this story for two years. Since I really found out I wanted to be a writer. Chapter One was written when I was just an amateur, well, I still I am, but I wrote it when I was just starting out. Now I've been writing endlessly for two years, and I really know how to do it. I hope, after reading it all, you can see how my writing has (hopefully) matured.**

** This is my first real story. Ever. And so I want you guys to know, no matter how long the hiatuses (hiati?) get, or how long it takes, it will take death itself to get me to not finish, in which case I will have my sister to alert you.**

** Later!**

** -FedoraFan**


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